Game of Gods
by Murasaki Hina
Summary: 18-year old Kurogami Light has been having strange dreams. Sometimes they terrified him. Then Ryuzaki shows up and things don't make much more sense at all. His obsession with the mysterious L and his Granduncle's history or even with those bloody notebooks won't stop though. One thing's for sure, the gods love playing games with him. LightxL. Rating may go up later.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys. This is my first time posting in the DN fandom. Let me start by saying that I've read quite a few reincarnation fanfiction by now and that I just _really_ wanted to write one my own way. The ending of Death Note never actually satisfied me even with the appearance of L in the end.**

 **Now, some elements might have been taken from other stories, but I assure you, the plot is _one hundred percent_ mine. Also, this story takes place way into the future, so if any of the information in it is not accurate, please note that this is for enjoyments sake only.**

 **Without further ado, enjoy!**

* * *

Lawliet.

He was named after the world's best detective. After the man who had played possibly the biggest role in the Kira investigation almost a hundred years ago. After possibly the most intelligent man the world had known thus far. He originated from the same orphanage as the first generation L; Wammy's House.

He was Lawliet L. Wammy, 18 years old, currently holding the title of the fifth generation L.

"Congratulations on solving your 3000th case, L! I've organized a party to celebrate. There'll be _strawberry_ cake." His orphanage's current owner, Elizabeth, said slyly. They all called her "Lizzy" in the Wammy's house – an affectionate nickname.

"It would hardly be three thousand if you didn't count every insignificant case I had worked on thus far, Lizzy." Lawliet said, chewing on his thumb. He didn't bother looking up from his laptop, where the details of the criminal's sentence were displayed.

Life imprisonment… He had been expecting a death penalty for the number of murder's that the man had committed, but he supposed that life imprisonment was hardly any different. Still, he would've appreciated it if the court had respected him enough to use the punishment that he had insisted upon to begin with. The Swedish judiciary was much too lenient for his liking.

"However, I do appreciate that you kept in mind my favourite cake flavour. Expect me there."

Lawliet didn't have to look at Lizzy to know that her mouth was twitching, the wrinkles surrounding it becoming prominent for a moment. She always did it when she's either amused or irritated.

"I was _already_ expecting you." She spoke, tone clipped. "It is _your_ party after all."

"Yes." Lawliet responded, deciding it best not to aggravate her further. "Thank you for everything."

As expected, she calmed down and continued to speak kindly. "Of course, Lawliet. You know I think of all you kids here as my own."

He did. He was thankful for it every day because even if he was from an orphanage, he did have a mother. Lizzy was his mother. He had brothers and sisters. They all had a father in Lizzy's husband, Quillsh who was named after the founder of Wammy's House. In fact, it was how he and Lizzy had gotten close before their inevitable marriage. His parents had wanted him to become a kind man who would inherently help others. Lizzy had met Quillsh in college and had become friends with him once their histories were laid bare.

Lizzy's grandfather was the famous Quillsh Wammy and also the first generation L's original mentor and father figure according to the history books. When L's knowledge seemed to surpass anybody who could teach him, Quillsh Wammy had made it his personal duty to raise him. Initially, L's death was not known amongst the public, but once the third generation L had captured Kira, his death was made public as well as all of his other endeavours in catching Kira.

Thankfully, his real name had still been classified, for had it not, Lawliet would've been in a rather troublesome position. The only people who knew L's real name were the successors of Wammy's House; i.e. Elizabeth Jean Wammy a.k.a. Lizzy, who they of course, named him after because he closely resembled the first.

"Lizzy, after the party, there's something I would like to discuss with you." Lawliet turned around to look at his foster mother for the first time since she'd entered the room. "Is that okay?"

Lizzy's face softened and she nodded in a knowing fashion. "Most certainly."

Lawliet gave her a small smile to show his appreciation before he turned his attention to his computer once more.

It was about time he left England.

* * *

Light

He was named after the second generation L and also after his granduncle, Yagami Light. He was named by his grandmother, Kurogami Sayu (nee Yagami) who had looked up to her brother significantly. His identity as the second L wasn't well known, although his face had been revealed in the history books. This remains true for every other L. None of their names were revealed, though some of their faces were.

He was Kurogami Light, 18 years old, high school student and aspiring detective.

His grandmother died shortly after he was born and so, he had no memory of her, but he had been told by his own mother that she was unstable in her moods at every other odd moment. According to her, his grandmother had been kidnapped in her youth and was subjected to a traumatic situation which she never revealed the full details to anyone who wasn't already aware of it. Kurogami Sayu was an all-round normal old lady otherwise who had loved her family more than anything.

Light was proud to have been named after an L, but if he had to be honest, he would've rather been named after either the first generation or third generation L's. They had played the largest roles in catching the world famous mass murderer, Kira. However, since the first's name was classified, he would've settled with the nickname of the third: Near.

To this day, it remains a mystery to the public as to how Kira managed to kill all of his victims the way he did and without being there in person. It was speculated that the higher-ups of the law enforcement were privy to those secrets. That means that his granduncle must've known how Kira had killed his victims, since it was the first generation L who had uncovered that secret.

Light never believed that his granduncle had died because he was shot in his line of work. Actually… _that_ part was probably true. What he couldn't figure out was why the original Light couldn't catch Kira. The history books had described Yagami Light as a man who had intellect at the same level as the first generation L, whose reputation made him widely known to be one of the most intelligent men alive during his time. His great grandfather had claimed the same to his grandmother.

So why was it that a man so intelligent couldn't uncover Kira for six years of the time he had with the title of L, while the third L had caught him immediately after his term began?

It made no sense. His whole life had always been centred on this speculation, and eventually, Light figured, the only way to know for sure is if he became a detective and hopefully ended up working under the current L.

"Light!" His mother called from below his room. "It's dinner time!"

"Yeah, I'm coming!" Light shouted back and took a cursory glance at his laptop once more before shutting it.

The entire page was filled with the fifth L's accomplishments, including his latest; 3000 crimes solved, and brought to justice.

* * *

 **AND? How was it? Please let me know if it's worth continuing (although it doesn't really matter since I've already written the next few chapters).**

 **R &R.  
**

 **xoxo Hina~~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter up! I will be posting one chapter everyday until the number of chapters I've already kept ready are done with. Then you might have to wait a week or so. I really love writing this story, and I hope that I can finish it.**

 **Disclaimer: Death note dos not belong to me. Some elements from this story are borrowed and if that is from _your_ story, please do let me know so that I can credit you as I don't really remember which stories I'd read thus far. Plot is _mine._**

 **Enjoy~~**

* * *

"Was it okay to leave without telling the children?" Quillish - no _Watari_ asked him.

"We had a party." Lawliet stated blandly and concentrated on stacking the empty jelly cups. He had reached about the height of one foot before the jet they were flying in tilted and the plastic containers fell to the floor.

Watari signalled for a hostess to come and clear it up while he had placed a plate of carrot cake covered in marzipan in front of Lawliet. Said boy, immediately began eating the cake. He loved the taste of marzipan.

"I concluded that it would be best not to tell them about my departure." He said in between bites. "Additionally, I would rather not be subjected to watching them shed tears at my expense as they have their own studies to concentrate on and eventually become a source of admiration and symbols in their own respective fields. Lizzy agreed."

Watari's eyes softened at the mention of his wife. "Yes, she did."

Lawliet looked at Watari as apologetically, though he knew he probably came out looking somewhat blank-faced. "I'm sorry that you had to come with me and leave her alone."

The old man beside him simply shook his head gently. "There's no need to apologize, L. She would be frequenting Japan, as you may know. We also have the advantage of technology to thank for not feeling as apart as we would have otherwise."

"That's good. You may also take a vacation anytime you want to."

"I took an oath to serve you, L. I will not go back on my word. I will leave you, _only_ once you have become the universally accepted symbol of justice in the world." He told Lawliet with firm conviction. "Just as the first L had done."

"I appreciate that. Thank you." The black-haired boy said back. "Now, how much longer did you say it would take till we land?"

* * *

Light was excited. The newspapers and reporters on T.V. continued to rave about how L was coming to Japan. The crime rates in Asia have been significantly high as of late. Until now, L had been too busy dealing with the western countries. He worked briefly in Russia about two years ago because of terrorism and managed to not only catch the mastermind, but every single person who assisted him. The allied governments immediately took action.

He had to admit that his obsession with L was borderline stalker-ish, but this person was the key to so many things. To world peace, justice and to something far more personal to Light: His family history.

As long as he could remember, Light had felt like there was something missing from his life. There were moments when his anger had reached such a peak that he began to feel something. If he didn't know any better, he would call it bloodlust. Some part deep inside him had it, but then he reasoned that probably everyone felt it at some point in their lives. That didn't make it any less disturbing though.

Almost six months ago, the most insignificant things started catching his attention. Apples, gothic attire, fountain ink pens, sweets (particularly strawberry shortcakes which he had never really fancied before at all) and black notebooks… _Especially_ the black notebooks. Every single one of his notebooks were black and he had no idea why he even bought them. He felt drawn to these things. It reminded him of something that was missing.

And there were those strange dreams he had, which also began around the same time. They were too vague to actually make much sense. That was exactly why he began to keep a dream journal. He was missing something, and he intended to find out what.

There was one man who was recurrent in all his dreams. He slouched, had the most particular posture when sitting down and had an air of mystery. Although he could never see anything clearly in his dreams, whatever he felt while in them were perfectly distinct. When he looked at that odd man, he felt hatred, admiration, excitement, sometimes he felt empathetic, but mostly… there was desire. And Light could never fathom why.

His latest dream was quite clear compared to all the others. And it was terrifying as well. That same man was sitting in his chair as usual, crouching in that strange position, with his hands on his knees. There were others around them, but Light never found them particularly familiar. Something bad was happening, that was clear. The computers in front of them suddenly went blank and the man was talking to them in a hurried manner.

Then he stopped speaking. There was the sound of a loud heartbeat. The sound of metal hitting the floor with a delicate chime – a spoon, Light realized, belatedly. Time slowed down as the man fell from his chair right in front of Light's eyes.

Then, Light jumped. What else could he do? He didn't want to let this person hit the ground, no matter _what_. And when he caught the man, for the first time in all of his dreams, he could see that person's eyes. Large, deep, black, so all-seeing that Light felt like he knew every single secret about him. Those eyes widened in surprise by looking at him before his eyelids slowly dropped close.

When Light woke up, he had to make a run to the bathroom and empty all of dinner into the toilet. He cried once he finished and didn't get sleep the rest of the night.

This was two days before he met Ryuuzaki Rue.

* * *

 **Yeah, so this chapter was pretty short. All my chapters are about this short, but I think the story all together will be relatively long. This is just so that I don't lose interest.  
**

 _ **PLEASE**_ **R &R. Stressing on the REVIEW part. I would really love some feedback.**

 **xoxo Hina~~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so I know that so far the chapters have been rather dull, but trust me, from here on out, you won't want to stop reading. I'm doing my best to keep everyone in character - yes, that includes Light. Since he hasn't come in contact with the death note yet, h won't resemble the Light we've known till now.**

 **Light and L finally meet!**

 **Enjoy~~**

* * *

The day started out relatively normal. He had breakfast with his mother, and bid her well on her day at work while she did the same for him. He took the same road as he usually did when going to school and heard the same old news again. Homicides, blackmail, hostage-taking, etc. He thought the same thing he'd been thinking the past month as well.

 _Just wait until L catches you and puts you to justice. Just wait until I'm working for him and_ _ **help**_ _him put you to justice._

 _Just wait._

He had taken his seat by the window in his classroom as usual, as well. Then his homeroom teacher came in and announced that there would be a transfer student. That's when his usual day ended up being quit _unusual_. And all his days henceforth would continue to be as well.

"Alright, settle down everyone." The teacher demanded, rapping his wooden ruler on the desk. "We have a transfer student waiting outside, and it would be nice to get this over with."

Around him, everybody echoed his thoughts out loud.

"A transfer student? At this time of the year?"

"There's only three months remaining until the end of high school!"

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

Well… the last one didn't really matter to him.

"Once the class is quiet, we can continue." The teacher drawled and everybody immediately quieted down. Light saw his teacher sigh and shake his head exasperatedly before he motioned for the person outside to come in. "Okay, Ryuzaki-kun. Enter."

Light looked towards the door as did everybody else. When Ryuzaki walked in, he knew that he was not the only person that was completely dumbfounded, but he also knew that none of them were surprised in the same way that he was.

The boy who walked in slouched, his knees were bent at an obtuse angle as he shuffled to stand in front of class, and when he met Light's eyes with his piercing gaze, the brunet couldn't help comparing him to the person in his dreams. He dazedly listened to the introduction.

The teacher wrote his name on the board.

"Your new classmate is named Ryuzaki Rue. He's from England and had lived there with his family up until now but they had to come to Japan for work. Would you care to say something about yourself?"

Ryuzaki stared blankly at everybody in the classroom. "Not really."

Everyone started whispering once more and teacher sighed again. "It's a courtesy, Ryuzaki-kun."

"Oh, is that so?" He asked, looking genuinely surprised for a split second and then turned back to look at his classmates with a thoughtful expression. "Hm… Well, I'm Rue Ryuzaki… or Ryuzaki Rue – however you prefer. I like sweets and hate injustice. I won't pressure anybody into interacting with me – I'm well aware that I'm not a desirable companion in conversation. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Okay, anybody have any questions for our new friend?" The teacher asked.

Ryuzaki looked a little uncomfortable now. "Is this also courtesy?"

"I'm afraid so, Ryuzaki-kun. So, anyone?"

A girl put up her hand.

"Yes, Takami-san."

"You lived in England, but you're Japanese is quite good. Which school did you go to?" She asked.

"I'm proficient in many languages, Takami-san. And I was home-schooled." Ryuzaki replied.

"Hey, is that why you dress like that?" Another boy asked, and Light was surprised that he didn't notice earlier, but the transfer student wasn't wearing a uniform. Rather, he was wearing their schools jersey in a larger size than necessary. "You stand pretty strange too."

"Suzuki-kun!" The teacher scolded, but Ryuzaki didn't seem to mind.

"I'm dressing like this because neither I nor the staff found any need for me to purchase the school uniform when there are barely three months remaining for the upcoming finals, so they'd lent me this instead." He answered, dully. "Moreover, standing upright gives me vertigo so I try to avoid doing it."

"Cool." Suzuki grinned in satisfaction, although Light couldn't exactly make out what was 'cool' about the entire thing.

"Alright then, Ryuzaki-kun will answer any other questions you may have after classes. For now, let's begin homeroom." The teacher decided, before anyone else tried to put their hand up again. Then he turned towards his new student and indicated the seat next to Light. "You may take a seat at the back, next to Kurogami-kun. Kurogami-kun, please raise your hand."

Light raised his hand and tried not to look at the transfer student who he knew was walking towards him. Only when he had finally reached to where Light was sitting, did the brunet look up.

"Pleasure to meet you Kurogami-kun. Let's get along." He said amicably before turning to his seat.

Light's eyes widened when he saw Ryuzaki slip his feet out of his shoes and place his feet on the chair, crouching just as he did in all of those dreams. He knew everybody else was also staring, but he hardly paid any heed to it.

That settled it. This was him.

"Yeah. Let's… get along." He smiled in what he knew was a pleasant way.

The teacher cleared his throat and for a moment, Light thought that he would berate Ryuzaki for sitting the way he was, but instead he just went along with roll call.

Throughout their classes, Light couldn't help sneaking glances at Ryuzaki. The way he sat, the way he held his pencil and the books, and his small quirks like thumb biting and the way he rubbed his feet together. The scene that he made in math class was also quite intriguing.

"Ryuzaki-kun. Is there any reason as to why you aren't really paying attention?" The math teacher asked.

Light knew that many of his classmates were rolling their eyes and thinking the same thing he was.

 _Here we go again._

The math teacher had a bad habit of picking on students; particularly ones that seemed like an easy mark. He had never called on Light after that first time in the beginning of the year when Light had solved all ten of the sums that the pathetic man was planning to teach, on the board with no difficulty.

Light took a look at his neighbour from the corner of his eye. Ryuzaki honestly didn't seem to be paying any attention. He didn't even seem remotely ashamed about it. This obviously aggravated their teacher further.

"Perhaps you'd like to come up her and teach the class instead then?" He smirked in a conniving way.

Surprisingly, Ryuzaki came to attention, nodded, then got up, slipping on his shoes and went to the blackboard where he took the chalk and solved the first and second sums of the page they were studying.

"As all of you know, over here, 'x' is to be substituted with the first formula in your book. Once substituted and divided, the answer you get will be 36. Similarly," He gestured to the second sum. "Over here, we use the third formula. The formulas are the only things that you need to memorize for these sums and then only substitution remains. There are only three which are of use in the exams due to repetition…"

For once, everyone understood what was being taught in math class (although Light was already very well aware of the entire syllabus). The fact that their math teacher could do nothing but stare slack jawed and wide-eyed at Ryuzaki while he taught was simply an additional bonus.

Come lunch time, Light was intrigued enough and knew enough about Ryuzaki to actually want to talk to him.

"Ryuzaki-kun, let's have lunch together." Light smiled at his neighbour who looked at him with a calculating gaze before nodding.

"Very well."

Light used the empty chair opposite Ryuzaki to sit down and he placed his lunch box on the table. Ryuzaki pulled out his own food…

"Is that cake?" Light blurted. Ryuzaki looked at him strangely.

"Is that a problem?" He asked, looking at the offending cheesecake that was in a disposable plastic container.

"…No." Light smiled. "Just unusual. When you said that you like sweets, did you mean that everything you ate consists of it as well?"

"Most of the time." Ryuzaki confirmed as he dug his plastic fork into the cake. "I do eat other types of food occasionally, but I find myself uninclined to pursue anything that isn't sweet."

As he ate Light couldn't help but grin. He poked into his bag and found a container that his mother never failed to put in.

"Here you go." Light passed it to his companion.

Ryuzaki looked at it curiously, and then at Light before deciding to open it.

"Fruits?"

"They're sweet." Light shrugged and then opened his own lunchbox. "In contrast to you, I'm not fond of sweet things. My mother insists that they make you a happier person though and we both compromised on fruits. You can have those."

"Didn't your mother send them for you?"

"And I'm giving them to you. Just accept my good will."

Ryuzaki nodded and to Light's astonishment, even offered a small smile.

"Thank you." He said as he turned his fork towards the salad. "There are quite a lot of strawberries."

"Oh, yes. Lately I've been quite attracted to them. I always end up buying either strawberries or apples, but I never really eat them."

"I'm not complaining, Kurogami-kun. I'm quite partial to strawberries. In fact, strawberry shortcake is probably my most favourite sweet."

Light looked at his companion in shock. He wanted to question him, but didn't know what to ask. First, he looks exactly like the man in his dream, complete with every single quirk. Then he mentions the shortcake and suddenly Light's obsession with them makes both more and less sense than it did before.

He was quite sure that he'd never met Ryuzaki before in his life, but he felt so familiar. The moment he walked in, Light knew that he would be smart, even though that was the last impression that people would normally have of him.

He was a complete enigma.

* * *

"Did you meet him, Ryuzaki?" Watari asked him once he returned. They were residing in a hotel, until the building that was made by the Wammy's organization was completely furnished.

Lawliet nodded and hopped onto the nearby armchair where an assortment of macaroons were neatly placed on a tray. He picked one up, examined it and separated it into two halves before he finally began munching on them.

"He looks exactly the same. His last name is different, but thankfully, his first name did not change." Lawliet said and picked up another macaroon. "He has not become Kira… Not yet. But I won't let it happen this time around."

Watari's eyes took on something sad, and Lawliet, for once, wondered whether everything would go as planned.

* * *

 **I sincerely hope that this chapter was up to par and that you guys at enjoyed it. Please do leave a review. Constructive criticism is welcome, however, flaming is not. Once again, I would like to arn everyone that this is shounen-ai, which may evolve into yaoi in the future.  
**

 **Stop reading if this does not agree with you.**

 **Love you all!**

 **xoxo Hina~~**


	4. Chapter 4

**All you guys are so lazy. None of you really want to review at all, do you? Well, doesn't matter. I'm still updating because I love this story and where it's headed. I hope y'all are excited cause another chapter's up!  
**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

"You've been in a good mood lately." His mother said as he they ate dinner together.

It had been four days since Ryuzaki transferred into their school and Light had to admit, he was not as bad a conversationalist as he'd claimed. Although, that may just be because Light was different from everybody else. He could keep up with every single intelligent topic Ryuzaki brought up and vice versa as well. For once, life wasn't completely dull.

"I've made a friend." Light admitted. "Remember that transfer student I told you about a few days ago? He and I've been talking a lot lately."

"That's wonderful!" His mother exclaimed and he knew that she was honestly happy for him.

Light smiled sadly, thinking about how his sorry excuse of a father had run away from her and left her alone to raise Light. He knew how difficult it had been for her to take care of him. She didn't get her college degree and had to settle with doing odd jobs here and there. This was taking quite a toll on her when Light was still a baby, but once he reached the age of five, he had managed to learn to take care of himself.

He never wasted a single class in the money she used for his education, he refused to become sick under any condition, and also started working part-time jobs once he had become fifteen, so as to help with income.

"Do bring him over someday, Light. I would love to meet him." His mother smiled, as she began to clear up the table.

Light pretended to think about it. "Okay… but you have to promise to act normal. He's a little… unique."

"You've never brought over a friend before, Light! I would definitely be on my best behaviour, no questions asked."

"Alright, alright!" He laughed at his mother's antics. "Enough about me, mom, isn't it about time you start dating again?"

"Dating!" She laughed. "I've still got you to take care of. Besides, I'm too old for that."

"Nonsense! You're the youngest mother I know, and you're still as beautiful now as you were in all your college photographs. Anyway, I can take care of myself now."

His mother giggled. "Yes, I suppose you can."

* * *

"Have you heard of 'L'?" Light asked Ryuzaki during lunchtime in class the next day.

His friend looked up from the fruit dumplings he had brought for lunch, and appeared slightly… amused. It was so subtle however, that Light had to wonder whether his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"I've heard of him. In today's world, it's impossible not to have."

"Right? But all everyone around here talks about is karaoke and movies and stuff. They have no interest in what's actually important."

"And L is?"

Light frowned. "Of course he is… I thought you'd agree. Crime rates all over the world are going down because of him. The world is rotten, Ryuzaki. L is probably the only person that's able to stop it from crumbling into dust."

"Hm… I agree with you, but what makes you think that L is just one person? It could be many people posing as one."

Light fiddled with the chopsticks in his hand and answered carefully. "I've thought of that possibility, but then I thought of the way he spoke. L speaks in a way that makes people believe that he can do anything… Sort of like you. This indicates that his personality is close to being someone who hates losing. Not to mention, there aren't really that many people at his level of intelligence. If they were a group, then it would be a few people taking orders from one person, making the leader of that group L, by default."

"That's an interesting way of viewing things, Kurogami-kun." Ryuzaki smiled, dipping his dumpling in some whipped cream before popping it into his mouth. "I dare say you may be right."

Light was opening his mouth to continue the conversation but then –

"Light!"

He groaned, recognizing the voice that called him.

"Misa –" He was attacked by a bear hug from behind before he could say anything.

"I missed you, Light!" Misa said, rubbing her cheek against his face like an attention craving cat. "Did you miss me?"

"When did you get back?" Light asked, not bothering to answer her question.

"This morning! Misa's parents told her to rest, but she just _had_ to see her Light, so here she is!"

"No, not your Light, nobody's Light. Light is his own person." He hurried to explain.

"Hm? Who is this? One of your friends? He's unique, huh?" Misa finally let go of him and turned her attention to Ryuzaki.

"I'm Ryuzaki Rue." Ryuzaki stated. "Pleased to meet you, Arai Misa. I've been a fan of yours ever since your debut two months ago. I do hope you get the part in Namikawa's upcoming movie."

"A fan! Thank you, for your continued support. Misa will work her hardest!"

As Light guessed, people began to surround Misa, each offering their support and good will. The boys were all giving off compliments while the girls commended the latest magazine release. In the confusion, Light was able to sit down without anyone suffocating him anymore.

"She's prettier in person." Ryuzaki commented. Light looked at Misa and shrugged. His friend ate another dumpling. "But she looks ditzy, too."

That made Light break out into a laugh. "I can agree with that."

"Ah, Light!" Misa called out from the middle of the crowd once more. The people around her parted to make way. She dug into her bag and pulled out a black notebook. "I almost forgot, thank you for this. It really helped me to catch up with my classes while I was away."

Despite everything, Light couldn't help smiling at her. True, she was annoying, but she wasn't a bad person. He sometimes felt guilty that he treated her so.

"No problem." He said, taking the book into his own hands. Misa grinned at him.

"Misa has to go, now! I only came to see you, Light. I'll attend classes tomorrow, so don't be mad." She said and blew a kiss to Light before running out of the classroom.

Light sighed, relieved that she was finally gone.

"Kurogami-kun," Ryuzaki spoke up. He took the notebook from Light and scrutinized it. "Is there a reason that all your notebooks are black?"

"Ah," Light frowned. "I've been drawn to them lately."

"When did this start?"

"About six or seven months ago, I believe. What's this, Ryuzaki- _kun_? Are you interrogating me?" Light raised one eyebrow.

"No…" Ryuzaki looked at the notebook thoughtfully before handing it back to Light. "Kurogami-kun, can you do me a favour?"

"Oh, this is new!" Light leaned forward in mock anticipation. "What is it?"

Ryuzaki, however, didn't share Light's amusement. "The next time you come across a black notebook… No. In fact, henceforth, please never buy, touch or pick up another black notebook again."

The brunet's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline with the seriousness in which that bizarre favour came with.

"What's this about…?"

His black haired comrade didn't have any interest in answering that question apparently. "Can you _promise_ me, Kurogami-kun? I'd like you to say it, if you don't mind terribly."

Light didn't understand why this had become such a serious conversation. They were only black coloured notebooks… weren't they? Either way, he supposed that this obsession of his would be better off left alone from now. It was getting rather scary, even for him. Perhaps he just needed someone to initiate the stop to it.

So Light nodded. "Alright. I promise that I will _never_ touch another black notebook again."

The other boy nodded in satisfaction before he opened up the desert that Light's mother had put in today – which was strawberry shortcake. Light grinned as he saw L's eyes widen in childish delight. At least buying shortcake was one obsession he didn't have to stop. It would be a pity if he did, because then, he wouldn't get to see any of those expressions that Ryuzaki made.

And that was always something he looked forward to.

* * *

 **Oooh. Things are getting serious now. Light's obsessed with black notebooks! What does this mean? We all know what it means *snort*  
**

 **Please do review before leaving, guys! It would mean the world to me even if it was just a word. Next chapter will be up soon!**

 **Hina**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much to the people who reviewed on my last chapter! It was so nice of you guys. I already know exactly how I want this story to progress and even how it's going to end. I just hope that I'm inspired enough to keep it going.**

 **That's where you guys come in. Anyway, this chapter is more or less a filler, but it's necessary. Next chapter will be up soon after, so please be patient. This chapter was more or less inspired by a fanart that I had come across of L playing Jenga with his foot.  
**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

He was playing Jenga by himself when he finally met Yagami again.

"Ryuzaki, may I introduce Yagami Taiga, Chief of the NPA." Watari stated and then brought forward a dish full of animal shaped sweet buns.

Lawliet took the rabbit shaped bun and bit off the head. It had custard filling. Yagami looked at him expectantly and the pale skinned boy gesture for the much older man to take a seat on the sofa opposite on the other side of the coffee table.

"Hello, Yagami-san. I am L."

Chief Yagami's eyes widened significantly at the bomb that was dropped on him with no prior warning. He gaped at Lawliet.

"Why was I called here…?" He asked.

"Yagami-san. Have you ever heard of the 'Death Note'?" Lawliet asked, offhandedly as he continued removing blocks from the neatly stacked Jenga building with his feet. He balanced the block skilfully in between his large toe and fore toe.

"Yes… It is more or less like a legend passed down by the chiefs of the NPA." Yagami confessed. "Why?"

"Can you tell me what you know about it?"

Yagami looked hesitant but eventually caved in. "It is a book that originally belongs to a Shinigami. The name of any human that is written in the book by a person who has the image of a face in his mind, will inherently die. That is the main rule of the book. Of course, for years, it's been nothing more than a dark fairy tale passed down from chief to chief for generations, in the disguise of an S-rank secret."

Lawliet hummed and removed another block from the Jenga building. "What if I told you, Yagami-san…"

He paused, placing the block on top of the building. "– that the death note was…no, _is_ _real_?"

Chief Yagami stilled, almost like his heart had stopped beating and caused him to convert into stone.

"I-I would rather it would be destroyed." Yagami confessed.

Lawliet nodded. "Yes, that would be the most logical course of action. However, there is a problem." He said, taking another animal shaped sweet – this time, the face of a bear and popping it directly into his mouth.

"And what might that be…?" Yagami asked after several moments of silence.

"The death note has yet to be dropped." Lawliet continued after swallowing the bun. "This year, it will be exactly a hundred years since the first time a death notebook was dropped on land. And without a doubt, it will happen again within the next two months."

"May I ask the reason for your conclusion?" Yagami asked, after an excruciatingly painful thirty seconds.

Lawliet chewed on the porcupine shaped sweet bun which he had picked up during the pause and swallowed before answering.

"Even if I told you… I doubt you'd believe me. Nonetheless, sooner or later I will have to, so please excuse me for not revealing it now."

Chief Yagami was visibly troubled by the statement and reluctant to agree, but nodded regardless. Lawliet lifted a hand to scratch his head as he thought of a way to pick up another block and continued the solitary Jenga game as perfectly as he could.

"But why was I summoned here?" Yagami asked finally.

"I believe that you'll be a valuable asset to the world later on, Yagami-san. With your help, we may be able to stop the rise of the next generation of Kira." Lawliet explained, patiently. This panicked the NPA officer.

"You think that it will happen again?"

"I _know_ it will." Lawliet pressed with a dangerous amount of certainty glinting in his eyes. "Only this time, we have information at our disposal. This time, we are not clueless as to what we are dealing with. It _will_ be different this time. Do I have your support at my disposal, Yagami-san, once this happens?"

Yagami didn't hesitate this time. "Yes, _if_ it happens. I had become a police officer to enforce justice, not to stand by as someone kills off those who don't have it.

"Good answer. I'm pleased to note that you are the same responsible and serious man that I expected to see. Although younger."

Yagami looked confused for a moment, but apparently decided not to question any further. Watari had chosen that moment to come in with a tray carrying two cups of tea and a bowl of sugar cubes.

"How many?" Watari asked and he used the tiny tongs to pick up the sugar cubes.

"Oh… two would be fine. Thank you." Yagami answered.

Watari nodded and added the requested amount of sugar, stirring the contents before handing it over to the chief. By that time, Lawliet had already finished adding in about six sugar cubes for himself.

"How old is your daughter, Yagami-san?"

Yagami looked up from his tea cup, startled by the question. "Sayu? She'll be fifteen this year."

"I see. Wife?"

"I'm widowed, L."

"Apologies, I already knew that. Forgive me for asking, I was simply running out of conversation topics. Also, I request you to call me Ryuzaki when we are together. I'd like it to become a habit. Any form of identity involving me is strictly classified, and I'd rather it remain that way."

"Very well, Ryuzaki." Yagami said as he sipped his tea. "So, is this the reason that you'd turned your head towards Asia, finally?"

"Not completely. The crime rates in Asia are quite high lately, and since Europe has been relatively tame so far, I decided to leave the rest to the police and continue with other continents." Lawliet sipped his tea. "The eastern countries have been slightly problematic as well. I plan to start with Japan and slowly fan out to the other countries of this continent. Though my base will remain here."

"Does that mean that you will be staying in Japan for good?"

"Until I find no more reason to, at the very least. Lately, however, I find myself in a difficult position. I don't particularly want to leave anymore seeing as how I have met my first friend over here."

"…Do you not have many friends, Ryuzaki?"

"I have no hesitance in claiming that I am a social recluse. The only people I have ever interacted face-to-face with having my identity known were members of the orphanage I grew up in, Watari and now you. Seeing as how this is mandatory for any L, it has been quite difficult to make many friends."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Lawliet drank his cup empty and placed it down on the tray that Watari held out for him. He continued with his increasingly difficult game of jenga.

"I didn't expect you to, Yagami-san. I have been talking to people normally since I arrived in Japan, though. I joined Sakurano High school of Kanto prefecture."

Yagami evidently recognized the name. "My daughter attends that school."

"Does she?" Lawliet asked, gnawing on his thumb. "That's quite a coincidence, isn't it?"

"You already knew, didn't you?"

"Yes, I apologize."

The jenga building collapsed.

* * *

 **I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. I tried to make it as interesting as I could, but I _need_ to put in Light's father (the initial one). I really loved him in death note, and I was very sad to see him go, so here's his appearance.  
**

 **Please do review guys, it keeps me interested. I'll even make it easy for y'all. Chapter boring? Yes or No?**

 **Hina~**


	6. Chapter 6

**I had so much fun writing this chapter because things are starting to get interesting. Now that Chief Yagami has finally been introduced, we can move on with the story.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to my darling reviewer, viridet. I made it extra long for you, hun!  
**

 **Enjoy~~**

* * *

Light was annoyed. It happened more often than he'd like to admit, but this was a special case. For three weeks, he and Ryuzaki had been friends. They always sat together during lunch time, walked to the school gate together after classes (they couldn't walk home together or take the train together since Ryuzaki had a car – or was it a limousine? – transporting him to and fro), they almost never really talked to anyone in their class unless they really had to.

Other people weren't like them.

Yet here was everybody, trying to talk to Ryuzaki finally after they'd been intrigued enough by his brains and fancy car. The girls were taking this chance to talk to Light as well, but he practically ignored them in favour of glowering at everybody who was surrounding his friend.

"So, does this mean you're like a _genius_ or something?" A boy – Suzuki asked. "Why didn't you skip grades?"

"That's irrelevant. If I ever find myself in need of a college degree, then I'll get one." Ryuzaki said cryptically.

Suzuki whistled. "Smart, rich _and_ modest. Ryuzaki Rue, ladies and gentlemen!"

Their classmates laughed, but neither Light nor Ryuzaki were particularly amused… On a second thought, Ryuzaki _did_ seem to be enjoying the attention a little more than Light would've preferred.

"Hey, you two have become pretty good friends, huh?" A girl asked. Light forgot her name. "At first, it was kinda weird, ya know. I mean, if the two of you stand together, it's like there's a punishment game going on."

Light bristled at the implication. He knew that she was making a slight at Ryuzaki, and even if the boy himself didn't mind, Light did. But then she continued speaking.

"It makes sense now, though. You both are pretty smart an' everything. It doesn't seem like such a surprise anymore."

Everybody around her murmured their agreements to the statement and for the first time since his classmates had cornered them, Light smiled.

* * *

"Ryuzaki, how about coming over to my place today?" Light asked after school was out. They were walking to the gate as usual, Ryuzaki still standing out due to his messy attire.

"Today…? Is there a reason why?"

"No reason, really. I've never really had a friend over to my house… or even had a friend at all for that matter. My mother would really like to meet you as well. It's the only thing that she's been talking about for the past week." Light smiled wryly. "I know that we met less than a month ago, but really, it feels like so much longer."

Light didn't tell Ryuzaki about the dreams he had of him. Was still having. The dreams had become much more vivid since he'd met the man, but nothing gave him any actual information. The only thing Light could actually make out, was that his role in it was that of an antagonist – a villain even. Every time something happened his way… the way he'd planned it, he'd get a faux feeling of triumph. And it was never enough. Light didn't want to be that person.

Ryuzaki gave him a look which made it seem like he knew what Light was talking about.

"Thank you. I'll take you up on that offer." He smiled and pulled out his cell phone to dial someone. He put the phone to his ear. "Ah, Watari? Are you waiting by the gate? Yes. I would like to visit my friends place today… Yes, please."

Ryuzaki cut the call and Light looked at him inquisitively.

"Watari is my employee of sorts. He's by the gate. He said that he'd drive us." His friend explained.

"What? There's no need for that!"

"It's alright, Kurogami-kun. He doesn't have anything to do at the moment anyway, and it would be quite inconvenient for him to pick me up if he doesn't know the road to your house."

"Well, okay in that case…" The brunet conceded when he saw the classy black car pull up in front of the gate.

Throughout the ride, Light had to wonder why Ryuzaki always needed somebody to chauffer him. Of course, it might just be because his family is rich, but thinking back, Light knows nothing of his new friend. If only his nightmarish dreams could hint at something useful about the other boy. So far, it had been so spot on about everything, that Light had to wonder if he was seeing the future. After all, the Ryuzaki in his dreams looked like he was around his mid-twenties.

If that was so, then he wished that he didn't have that ability. He hoped that they were only shadows of what _could_ happen at the very least, so that he could change it.

"Is that it?" Ryuzaki asked suddenly and Light realized that they had already reached his house. It's much faster than walking. Normally, he'd have been home in at least another half hour.

"Yeah, that's it –"

On closer inspection, it looked like there was somebody else that came to visit. There was an ominous looking jeep outside his house and the door was open. His mother never left the door open after she'd invited guests in.

"Ryuzaki, stay here." Light said and got out of the car without giving a second glance to his friend. The only thing on his mind at that moment was whether his mother was okay.

As he entered his house, which no longer felt as safe as it normally did, he heard voices coming from the kitchen.

"Please, just leave. My son will be home any moment..." It was his mother speaking. She sounded distressed.

Two unfamiliar voices spoke to her. They were gruff and threatening.

"We'll leave once you tell us where your husband went!" One man said.

"Or you could just pay off his debt. We're not picky as long as we get the money." Said the other one calmly. "Listen ma'am, we don't want to hurt either you or your son, but it's been almost twenty years since the money was borrowed. Our boss isn't this patient a man for anybody."

"I understand… please just wait a little longer." His mother said dejectedly. "I promise I'll pay it back, but please leave before my son comes back!"

" _Leave?_ " The gruff voice spoke again. "Do you think we're running a bloody _charity_?!"

Light's heart jumped in his chest when he heard a crash and the sound of his mother's scream following it. He immediately revealed himself in the doorway.

"Mom!"

His mother was back up against the kitchen counter, trembling for all she was worth. "Light!"

The two men turned to look at him, and they were almost exactly like how Light had imagined them. One was of a bulky build reaching up to almost six feet, while the other one resembled more or less a normal business man wearing a suit.

"This is the boy that you've been hiding from us, I see." The smaller of the two said, rubbing his chin conspiringly. "Yes, I can see why. He'd certainly be in demand if we were to put him on the market."

"No, not him!" His mother pleaded. "I'll do anything, just leave him alone!"

Light rushed over to his mother's side and shielded from the two loan sharks. He glared at them and stood up to his full height, which did tower one of them, but was futile to the other.

"You won't touch her." He spat.

"Step aside, kid." The big one stepped forward. "This isn't your battle right now. Your mother's been protecting you your whole life to stop us from getting to you."

"I agree with my companion, son. He's hardly ever right, but there is a point made." The one in the suit said calmly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Then again, if you really want to help, all you have to do is sign a contract with us and sell yourself for a few weeks. I'm sure you'd have no trouble pulling in customers."

"That won't be necessary." A foreign voice joined the conversation before Light could say anything.

"Ryuzaki!"

At the doorway, his Ryuzaki and Watari were standing, the former maintaining his stern expression while the latter was talking on the phone to somebody.

Watari mumbled something and gave the phone to his employer.

The pale skinned boy took the phone and held it up to his ear in a way that made it look contaminated.

"Yes, this is him…. Yes, it would be very kind of you to do that. Thank you." Ryuzaki took the phone from his ear and held it out to the two men. "He wants to speak to you."

The smaller of the two decided to take the phone and held it up to his ear.

"This is Ohda." He said into the speaker and his eyes widened two seconds later. "Boss? Yes. Yes… No, that's okay. We'll wrap it up, in that case. Yes, of course."

He hung up the phone and looked at it in confusion before holding it out to Ryuzaki. Watari had taken the phone back instead.

"Ooi-kun." Ohda called, not taking his eyes off Ryuzaki. The bulky man seemed to have shrunk a little bit at the thought of his boss on the phone. "The boss told us to leave them alone. Everything has been paid."

Ooi looked absolutely baffled at this revelation. "How?"

"We were told not to ask any questions, so we won't." Ohda replied and straightened his tie. "Since it seems like our work here is done, I suppose we should leave."

Ooi didn't look satisfied, but he followed his colleague obediently.

"Looks like you Kurogami people _did_ have some connections." Ohda said at the doorway. "It would've been smarter of you to have used it earlier. Would've saved us all the extra trouble. Well then, please excuse us."

Light was still on guard, but relaxed his shoulders once he'd heard the front door of his house close and the jeep engine start up. He turned to his mother.

"Mom, are you okay?" Light asked.

"Yes…" She answered and then looked at Ryuuzaki. "Who…"

"I'm Ryuzaki Rue, Light-kun's friend from school. Nice to meet you, Kurogami-san." Ryuzaki inclined his head respectfully.

"Likewise, I'm Kurogami Sachiko…" His mother still seemed to be in mild state of shock. "I'm very sorry for everything, this is not how I had imagined our first meeting to go."

"Please don't worry yourself over it."

"Ryuzaki… how did you do that? Don't tell me you actually paid anything?" Light asked, stepping up to his friend.

"No. The jeep outside had the insignia for the Tiger Lily organization. They're famously known for lending large amounts of money and getting it back by any means possible. My family has connections with the police and they owed us. I simply used that to our advantage."

Light knew that that was not the complete truth – it was too vague. Ryuzaki was covering something up. He also knew, yet, that this lie was not meant for him, but for his mother. His friend knew quite well that Light would not buy it, but he also knew that the brunet would not question it for now. Living up to his expectations, Light played along.

"I'm sorry, Ryuzaki. After being the one who invited you over, I wish it had gone along as I had imagined." Light mumbled. And that was true.

"Don't be. I'm glad I was here, otherwise who knows what might've happened. I'd rather you remain in one piece, Light-kun."

"My, this is quite embarrassing on our part, Ryuzaki-kun." His mother laughed weakly. "I hope this doesn't scare you away from coming over again? I promise that the next time, I'll be in a better position to host you."

"Please don't worry about it. I don't scare very easily. Besides, it was a way for me to thank you for all the desserts that you always send along with Light-kun. I'm usually the one who eats them."

"Is that so?" Her eyes twinkled. "I knew he wasn't the one eating them."

Light still couldn't help but feel left out in some way. Ryuzaki on the other hand nodded, and pretended not to notice the mess on the floor, thankfully. Everything was bad enough already.

"I should take my leave, Kurogami-san."

"Please, call me Sachiko."

"Sachiko-san, then. Please expect me over again, soon."

His mother beamed.

* * *

 **The Death Note will be dropped soon. Everyone excited yet? I wish you'd show it. Most of you guys read and leave - don't think I don't know how many. I have the stats. I'm simply consoled by the sheer number of people who keep re-reading it.  
**

 **Either way, I hope all of you enjoyed it! Please do leave a review if you did and if you have any questions.**

 **xoxo Hina~~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright guys, the time has come! Story's getting serious and in a few chapters, we start with all the _real_ death note shit. But wait! Where are the shinigami? Ryuk won't be joining us for a while, but I can't say the same for the death note anymore.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"So what exactly do your parents do, Ryuzaki?" Light asked during P.E. that day.

They were both sitting aside, watching as everyone in their class continued to play basketball. They had already finished their turn, with both Light and Ryuzaki having been on opposite sides. Light's team had won, but he suspected that if Ryuzaki had been more used to stretching his back to its full height, that the results would've been the other way around.

"They're owners of an orphanage." Ryuzaki said around the lollipop that he was sucking.

Light narrowed his eyes. There was something wrong here. Ryuzaki had come from England because of his parents work, or so he had claimed. Did that mean that they were expanding their horizons? Building more orphanages, this time in Japan? But an orphanage is a charitable institution. In that case, why was he so rich? Why did he have connections with loan sharks? Every day, Light became more and more convinced that not only was Ryuzaki hiding something, he was hiding it specifically from Light.

"Both of them?" Light asked. "That's cool."

"Is that so?"

Light waited for Ryuzaki to say something more, but apparently, he was done. His friend was quite good at keeping things to himself. It didn't feel fair most of the time.

"I'm just going to get some fresh air." Light said getting up from their seat on the floor. "Are you coming with?"

"No, I'm fine."

Light shrugged and found the exit of the gym. Ryuzaki was too mysterious, and the sooner he found out why, the better. Light looked up at the sky, and it as then that he saw something fall down. He looked at it in shock – it didn't look like a bird that fell.

The brunet glanced at his P.E. teacher who was busy lecturing Suzuki on how it was a violation of rules to hold the ball for five seconds and do nothing. They wouldn't miss Light right now.

Cautiously, he crept towards the area that the object fell in. It was through a thick shrubbery and Light couldn't help but wonder why the school kept this place here when they could've developed it into something. Pushing aside a stray branch, Light finally made it to his destination.

And he knew something was wrong.

This happened before; something told him. It was bad news, he could sense it. It was the work of something evil, mischievous, unforgiving and utterly uncompassionate. There was something about it though that just kept making him draw closer to this thing – this was the Pandora's Box. He knelt by it and looked at it.

It was a black notebook, the words _Death Note_ were written across it in gothic letters. He reached out his hand, and suddenly, he could reach no further, because Ryuzaki was there next to him. Not the seventeen year old boy that he had befriended, but the man from his dreams. He wore the baggy white T-shirt, his loose jeans, barefoot, his dark circles more pronounced, and his eyes more gentle.

 _No_ , he shook his head, thick black, unruly locks of hair swishing around ethereally, and Light hesitated. When he looked back down, the book was gone.

Panicked, he turned his head from side to side trying to find it, and finally looked up where a dark-haired boy was staring down at him, holding the book. Light had seen him before, around the school. He was a timid boy with large glasses and a weak constitution. He was always a target of bullies and on more than one occasion, Light had saved him from them. Right now though, timid was not what he'd use to describe the boy. His eyes were wide, pupils moving manically from side to side. His mouth hung open in a silent scream and he had an air of madness around him. For a moment, Light could swear that the boy's eyes flashed red as he looked down at Light before he turned and ran in the opposite direction.

Light stayed there, unmoving, one knee still on the ground, baffled at what had taken place. Then he heard scream from the general direction of the gym. Still unsure about what had happened, it took Light a bit of time before he could make himself go back.

"Give him some space!" The teacher cried when Light had gotten back. There was more commotion now, than when he left. And it the middle of it was…

Light's eyes widened as he saw who had collapsed.

"Ryuzaki!" He yelled, rushing over to his friend's side.

"Kurogami-kun, please stay aside –"

"He's my friend!" Light disregarded his teacher as he knelt beside his pale friend whose skin had taken on an ominously grey tinge.

The brunet's heart beat quickened with the realization of his friends still body. He put his head down onto the other boy's chest and listened. His heart beat was there, but it was inadequate – not to mention he was barely breathing. Thinking quick, Light took of his jersey and made himself comfortable in the simple white T-shirt beneath it. He unzipped Ryuzaki's jersey jacket as well and loosened his collar as much as possible, then tipped the boy's head back with one hand and pinched his nose with the thumb and forefinger of his other hand. Light knew that people were watching; he knew they would twist the meaning of what he was doing in their heads, but he couldn't bring himself to care much.

He covered Ryuzaki's open mouth with his lips and exhaled. There were gasps, of course, but the teacher was keeping them in line, Light could deduce, with the background shushing. He lifted his head and waited a moment for the recoil of Ryuzaki's lungs before repeating the procedure. He had to do this for a whole minute before Ryuzaki started coughing.

"Ryuzaki!" Light exclaimed as the other boy slowly opened his eyes through all of his haze.

"Light... kun…" He gasped.

The brown-eyed boy leaned forward. Ryuzaki had often called him by his first name ever since that day at Light's, but never in public. Usually only when it was the two of them and sometimes with Watari hanging behind.

"You… aren't… smiling." Ryuzaki whispered, looking relieved.

Light's heart almost stopped. An image entered his head; the one from his dream, where he was holding Ryuzaki as the man closed his eyes and somehow he _knew_ what he didn't before. He wasn't actually _sad_ in that dream as his friend's heart stopped. As the other man's blood drained from his face. As his eyes glazed over. Light was _smiling_.

Light covered his mouth with both his hands, feeling the bile rise up his throat. He swallowed, willing himself to calm down, but it was no use. The memory, the nausea, and the smell of sugar in the air… _everything was disgusting_.

Then he fainted.

* * *

 **I won't lie, this chapter was pretty exciting. The whole cardiopulmonary resuscitation and dropping of the death note *squeal*. Who's the boy who ran away with the book in the end though? Some of you definitely have ideas. What happened during the time Light was out that Lawliet had fainted? I seriously hope you guys are thinking on these questions.**

 **Anyway, review if you want to. Next chapter will be up in a few days.**

 **Oh, and viridet? Not really sure about Ao3 yet. Maybe once I've completed the story.**

 **xoxo Hina~~~**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you so much for reviewing on my last chapter. Both LknowsAll10 ad viridet. It was very appreciated! This is my last pre-written chapter and from here on my updates will be more of a challenge. I'm still going strong on my interest though, and I hope that everyone will continue to support this work.**

 **This is more or less a chapter to get out of the way. Next chapter, we start with all the complicated detective madness and the excessive amount of brains necessary as was shown in the manga, anime and light novels.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _It was a rainstorm. It was loud; the sound of rain crashing onto hard surfaces. And there was Ryuzaki._

" _The bells are loud today." He said, looking towards the city. It was nothing but a grey, concrete landscape, yet, Ryuzaki was looking at it as if it were something beautiful. Something sad. He was looking far away. Somewhere that wasn't Japan._

" _It's a church. Maybe a wedding? Or could it be –"_

Light woke up with a start as the alarm on his phone went off with a startling sound, ringing continuously through his head. He stayed in bed, ignoring the disturbance as much as he could before reaching out to his mobile and switching off the bloody thing.

"A dream…" Light mumbled in realization.

It was Ryuzaki again. Why did he always dream about this older version of Ryuzaki? Always wearing that big white shirt and those loose jeans. If they were really visions from the future, why did it feel like he and Ryuzaki were even more distant? They should've become much closer with the amount of years that must have passed by. In his dreams, their relationship was so difficult to describe. The only thing that he could say for sure about their relationship is the fact that they both were threatened by their lives.

It was unpleasant.

Light got up and started getting ready for school. Last Saturday had been quite hectic. He had performed CPR for the first time and in front of a lot of people. He even fainted right after. And then there was Ryuzaki who had expected him to be smiling from above. Could Ryuzaki be having the same dreams as he was? He never showed any signs of recognizing Light. But then Light had never indicated much as well. It was undeniable though, that both of them were hiding something significant from each other.

"Good-morning, mom." Light greeted upon entering the dining room.

"Oh, Good morning, Light!" His mother returned, cheerfully. "You're ready early today. I'm not done with breakfast."

"That's okay." He said, sitting down at the table after finding the television remote. "I'll just watch some T.V."

He switched on the screen and the news started.

" _Yesterday, five criminals had mysteriously died in critical moments scattered through Japan by heart attacks. It was reported that just as the criminals had reached their climax point, each of them had collapsed. Was this simply a coincidence, or is it a conspiracy?"_

The news reporter continued regaling the events of other criminal acts that had taken place. He narrowed his eyes and pulled out his phone, searching on the internet for the people who had died yesterday.

It was a popular topic already. He searched again for any reports on Saturday. He scrolled his finger on his smartphone for a while and managed to find them. One person died on Saturday; this was during a public news report that was being broadcasted – a hostage situation. Light narrowed his eyes. Anybody competent would realize that this wasn't a coincidence – this was murder. The hostage situation was the first time this person probably killed anybody at all.

' _What the hell is L doing?!'_ Light thought, his teeth grinding against each other.

No… but then L surely must've realized it by now. The problem was that the _public_ wouldn't until there have been enough deaths to show that it couldn't have been a coincidence – which is definitely what they'd keep writing it off as until a few days have passed. Normal people ignored things such as this because their normal lives couldn't get so interesting in just a day.

' _Dammit! Why is this happening_ _ **now**_ _? In just a few more years, I would've been in the police force!'_

"Light, aren't you going to eat?" His mother asked and Light realized that his mother had already set down his food in front of him.

"Yeah." Light answered and reached for his chopsticks, mind still occupied by L and the phantom murderer.

* * *

That morning, the class was quiet when he walked in. Ryuzaki was already at his desk, crouching on his seat and pinching the plastic stem of the lollipop he was relishing – indifferent to the stares he was getting. The eyes of his classmates shuffled from him to Ryuzaki. The pale boy looked at him as well, and raised his free hand.

"Yo, Kurogami-kun!" Ryuzaki greeted.

Light remained where he was, lips parted, for a moment before stretching a relieved smile over his face. "Ryuzaki… Good morning."

Ryuzaki tilted his head as the brunet walked over to his own desk. He barely sat down before Suzuki had rushed over to him and slammed both his palms down on the worn out wood.

"Where did you learn to do CPR, man?! That was _nuts_ what happened the day before!" He exclaimed. "Honestly, just when I thought you couldn't get any more popular. Have you seen the school newspaper?"

Light blinked, his eyes wide. "What?"

"You haven't, huh?" Suzuki reached for the rolled prints in his back pocket and displayed it to the brunet.

Light's face turned red at the front page. It was a picture of him giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to Ryuzaki. And he had to admit, the photographer was really aesthetic with the angle of the picture. It looked more like a photoshoot.

He gaped at it. Ryuzaki leaned away from his desk to get a look at the picture. "That certainly explains the stares I've been getting today." He stated, biting his thumbnail. "Who took that picture?"

"That would be yours truly!" Takami came forward to them and bowed dramatically. Her partner in crime – the camera hanging from her neck – glinted at them mockingly. "Takami Hime at your service!"

"Takami!" Light sighed. "You've made my morning far more difficult that you would believe. Just wait, she'll be here any sec –"

"LIGHT!" Misa yelled as she stormed into the classroom. " _What_ is the meaning of this? Are you cheating on me?! With _him_?!"

The girls in the class started giggling and a few boys whistled or made kissy faces. Misa glared at them murderously, her pretty mouth twisted with anger and she stomped towards Ryuzaki.

SLAP! The sound resounded in the classroom. Everyone gaped at Misa who was glaring at Ryuzaki. Takami was covering her mouth in shock and Suzuki goggled. The pale boy looked just as stunned as everyone else, his face still turned to the side with the force of the slap. His left cheek was blooming with a darkening red mark.

" _MISA!_ What do think you're _doing_?!" Light shouted, getting up from his seat with a clatter and standing in front of Ryuzaki protectively.

"What do you mean what do I…?" Misa teared up. "T-That picture was –"

"He _fainted_! I was only giving him CPR!" He interrupted. "Didn't you _read_ the article?"

Her face slowly drained of anger and her eyes widened. "What… He fainted? Oh no, Ryuzaki-kun, I'm so sorry, here let me –"

She stepped around Light to go to the raven-haired boy behind him, but the brunet stopped her by shielding Ryuzaki with his arm.

"You've done enough!" Light scolded. Misa stepped back, looking humiliated and upset. Light's brown eyes softened, and he sighed. "I'll take care of it; you should go to class. It'd be bad if you missed any more of them."

The blonde model hung her head and nodded. "Light, I… Ryuzaki. I really am sorry. I always do things without thinking and –"

"It's okay." Ryuzaki said, nursing his abused cheek tenderly with his hand. "People do much worse things out of anger. I would appreciate it if you had your facts straight next time, though. That slap really hurt."

Misa gave him an apologetic smile. "I will. I really made a fool out of myself today."

Ryuzaki said nothing as they watched Misa walk out of the classroom like a kicked puppy. Light really _did_ feel bad about it. Perhaps he was too harsh on her, and she realized her mistake as well. Light turned around and pulled Ryuzaki's hand away from his cheek.

"It's swelling up… How hard must she have hit you?" Light muttered, examining the wound.

"Hard enough to make my head turn." Ryuzaki replied, looking up at Light. He wasn't shorter, but he kept his back rounded and his knees bent, so Light definitely looked taller than him. Light wondered whether he sat down often enough to make his posture remain permanently stooped. He did say that if he stood straight, he would get vertigo.

"Hm, is something wrong?" Their homeroom teacher asked, upon entering the classroom. "Why's nobody in their seats?"

The whole class had their heads turned to the back of the room.

"Sensei, Ryuzaki is injured. May I take him to the infirmary?" Light asked.

Said teacher furrowed his brows. "How do you kids get injured this early in the morning? First that whole uproar on Saturday, honestly. Go ahead, Kurogami-kun. Leave him in the infirmary if need be, but I expect _you_ back by next period."

"Of course." Light answered, dutifully.

* * *

"Ugh…" Ryuzaki complained as Light applied some anti-inflammatory cream on his face. The nurse wasn't there whenever they need her. The school ought to fire her, seeing as how the only thing she's helpful for is keeping the infirmary in acceptable shape.

"Hold still. She really didn't hold back when she slapped you."

"Her hand probably hurts more. I'm stronger than I look, and this kind of thing doesn't normally harm me. She had no concern for her own well-being when she decided to hit me." Ryuzaki pondered out loud. "Misa-san really likes you."

"I don't know why." Light exhaled once he'd taped the bandage to Ryuzaki's face. "We met in freshman year, and since then, she's been following me around."

"I'm a little jealous." Ryuzaki smiled. His smiles were so scarce that Light had made it a habit to drink in the moment whenever he could. "To be loved to such an extent is rare."

"Love?" Light laughed. "It's an infatuation, Ryuzaki. She knows absolutely nothing about me. I hope she'll get over it soon."

Ryuzaki pressed his thumb to his lips, thoughtfully. Light's eyes immediately shifted downwards to them and he remembered that not two days ago, he had his mouth there. Ryuzaki's lips were softer than he'd thought they'd be, and just as sweet as he'd imagined. Light's face flushed at the thought. When had he ever imagined what they tasted like? Why had he even paid attention to it at all during a moment like that?

"What's wrong? You look a little red." Ryuzaki inquired, expressed concern and leaned closer to Light.

The brunet instinctively moved away, but made sure to keep eye contact so that the other boy wouldn't suspect anything wrong. Ryuzaki was, after all, too intelligent for his own good.

"It must be because winter is here. I heard it's going to be a white Christmas this year."

Ryuzaki didn't make a big deal about it, but Light knew that he didn't buy that lie or the non sequitur topic that followed. "Is it?"

"Yes."

* * *

 **So I hope this chapter was interesting to you guys. I'm on vacation right now, but I still do have my fair share of work, so please be patient for the next chapter. I'm rather getting attached to Suzuki and Takami, aren't you? There's still a lot of mysteries remaining, too!  
**

 **Don't forget to review before you leave, or prepare to face the wrath of Hina!**

 **xoxox Yours truly.**

 **P.S. This edited after the initial post with regards to the last few lines due to a confusion in timelines.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everyone! I'm in a lovely mood thanks to all (three) of you who have reviewed. I want to wrap up this story quickly so that all of you can be at ease soon, but we really still have a ways to go. Kira hasn't come up, Light doesn't know anything, L definitely knows something, Ryuk is nowhere to be seen... it's madness!**

 **Thank you again, viridet, LknowsAll10 for always reviewing without fail and DaydreamYourLifeAwayy for letting me know how much you enjoyed my story.**

 **Now, without further ado~~**

* * *

It was one of the rarest meetings in the world… where police from different countries all gather together to talk about large ongoing crimes. Situated in none other than Lyon, France, the Interpol was nothing to be made light of. Yagami twisted in his seat, this being the first time he'd ever attended this meeting. He was here with his subordinate Aikawa Shouta, who was just as nervous as he was.

The room was dark and large. Everyone had a glass of water and a mic seated on the desk in front of them. The room started to stir as the secretary-general began speaking.

"It's almost a month since we've identified the killings as a homicide. The public have even started referring to this being as 'Kira'. We at the ICPO should be ashamed at being no closer in identifying the criminal than we at catching him." He said gravely. That got the gears of the meeting going.

"We have no evidence that a human is even responsible for this! So far, criminals have been steadily dying of heart attacks – heavily guarded prisons included!" Someone from the German police force had spoken.

"I find no reason for this meeting. Kira never targets innocents." An Englishman countered. "These are all criminals that would either have been sentenced to death sooner or later, or would have been better off dead anyway."

"Murder is murder!" This time it was a French woman, her accent dragging in 'z's'. "This is a villain! If _we_ do not stop this 'Kira', who will?"

"Even if we wanted to, we have _nothing_ to investigate." Said the Englishman again. "They murder several criminals all over the world at a time. The scale of this crime is too large for even the ICPO!"

"That's exactly why we've called in L."

Yagami looked up at the new voice that had entered the conversation. A man covered from head to toe in black attire walked in on the stage. His face was covered with a black scarf and his head by a hat.

"He's on the move." He said, placing his laptop on the large desk in the middle of the stage and connecting it to the projector.

"Watari!" The Frenchwoman exclaimed. A murmur went around as mostly everybody whispered his name in delight.

Yagami's eyes widened, and he thought back to the old man that had served him tea in the presence of a month ago. If this was Watari, that meant that Ryuzaki – the same boy he had met that day – was about to answer to them.

The white screen shortly displayed a gothic L and the whole room went quiet.

"Good day." The scrambled voice spoke. "I am L."

Yagami clenched his fists over his desk. It was far from hot in the room, but a bead of sweat still rolled down his forehead. Aikawa, who was next to him stiffened as police from all over the world went into a frenzy.

"There is an explanation to this phenomenon." L spoke, not bothering to beat around the bush. "This is the work of the death note."

There was a pregnant pause, before an American stood up to speak.

"The Death Note? The urban myth surrounding death gods and the clash between the first L and Kira? Isn't that just a legend?"

"It never was – and isn't – a myth. The death note is real." L replied. "And it has been dropped once more."

The former silence had broken completely and now everybody was in complete chaos. Yagami turned his head from side to side, feeling at loss on what he should be doing.

"Last time, L didn't know what he was up against." L continued speaking. "He had no information at his disposal. No solid idea as it were, but we _do_. The third L had kept a log – one that was only meant for L's eyes. This log contained all the information on the war between the first L and Kira. Right now, it is our only proof that Kira had indeed existed, and that the only god whose existence we can be sure of right now, is of a death god – the Shinigami. I have already set up my base in Japan and request that the NPA lend their full support of the capture of this criminal."

Yagami swallowed as Aikawa gaped.

"Kira is in Japan."

* * *

The announcement was made on the first day of winter vacation. Light had opted to complete his homework in the dining room for once, while his mother watched a talk-show programme.

" _We're interrupting this programme due to a worldwide broadcast directly from the ICPO, Interpol."_ The new reporter said, looking at few reports. The screen immediately switched to one with a smartly dressed man, looking to be around his 30's.

" _I am the only one who can control the entire world's police forces."_ He said, looking directly at the camera. _"My name is Liam Ludwig, commonly known by the nickname 'L'."_

"Oh, my. Isn't that the person you always talk about, Light? Look, he's shown his face!" His mother smiled at him, but her smile faded at his expression.

Light's eyes were wide, and his face was undoubtedly horrified. This man was L? For some reason, it was everything other than what he expected L to look like, and yet, he wasn't exactly sure what he had expected. But what was he doing? He was revealing his name to the entire world with this broadcast! Light's shoulders slumped in disappointment, not being able to believe that the person he had admired for the majority of his life was not as remarkable as he thought.

" _The ongoing successive mass murders cannot go unpunished, and therefore, I want to guarantee to everybody out there that I will catch Kira. I can guess your motivation behind this, Kira, but what you're doing is evil."_

Light closed his eyes, not being able to watch any further. A gag came from the speakers and shortly, and he opened his eyes again. L's head was flat on the desk, unmoving as two men picked him up and carried him away from the camera. The screen flashed to a gothic capital L.

"… _It seems that you, Kira, are indeed able to kill without having to be there in person."_ A synthetic voice spoke and Light shoulders lifted in anticipation. _"Listen closely, Kira. If you honestly did kill the man onscreen just now, I would like to inform you that he was, in fact, a serial murderer who was meant to be put to death today. I had caught him months ago in absolute secrecy, so there were absolutely no reports released on him. But as for L, he_ _ **does**_ _exist, as my own persona. Now, come! Kill me! Try to do it!"_

Sachiko covered her mouth and gasped in horror. Light got off his seat and leaned over the table, staring wide-eyed at the T.V. What was L doing? Was he trying to kill himself? No, wait… now that Light thought about it, all the criminals that were killed were ones that were reported on T.V. or some other form of information gathering. L had revealed it himself…. That could only mean that Kira needs a name to kill somebody.

Light grinned. Kira couldn't kill L.

" _What's wrong? You can't kill me_ _? Thanks for the hint."_

Light did not want to be Kira right now, because what came next was brutal and absolutely genius.

" _I'll tell you something nice, this broadcast was actually only broadcasted in the Kanto region. In addition, your initial experiments were all kept track of. This means that you had received your 'ability' on or around twenty-eighth of November and your first case was the murder of Otohara Kiri who mysteriously died on the same day while performing a robbery. It stood out from all the rest of the murders and was only broadcasted in Japan. Furthermore, it seems that you can't kill me. This either means that you need a name or a face to kill. Maybe even both. It won't be long now until I can sentence you to death Kira."_

 _But Kira, there has been a miscalculation on your part. History is simply repeating. You aren't the first Kira. You are a copy. You_ _ **will**_ _be caught and it will be by me."_

Light leaned back as the reporter was once again shown to announce that the normal programmes would be resumed.

He could feel his mother looking at him.

* * *

"What are we going to do, Ryuzaki?" Yagami asked.

They were in a hotel room, Watari absent, for once. The air was chilly, even without the air conditioning. The speech L had just given was enough. He hadn't revealed anything about knowing the method of murder. The whole broadcast was done as if they had no idea how it happened.

"We're going to create a task force. I'll trust you with the job of gathering the members, Yagami-san." L replied.

Yagami hesitated before nodding. L had summoned him earlier to inform him of the measure that are going to be taken to take down Kira. He couldn't help but look at Ryuzaki in a suspicious manner sometimes. It was almost like he knew the future.

"The death notebook has been dropped." Taiga stated. He couldn't question it anymore; it was clear that it had been and that somebody is in fact using it.

"It's up to us to retrieve it. Once was enough for the world to have gone into chaos." L said and Yagami again had to wonder what he knew about the future… or even the past.

* * *

 **I feel like I have to apologize for this boring chapter. Honestly, I was wondering whether to put it in or not, but then I realized that this part was necessary for what's coming up next. My sister reads my story too, and she's absolutely pissed that I haven't introduced any shinigami yet.  
**

 **I will be updating soon again as always. R &R.**

 **Hina~~**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! After days, I'm back with a new chapter! This one's the longest I've made so far and I truly hope that it makes up for everything! I couldn't really find a good place to stop the chapter. It was one of those moments where you need to keep going.**

 **Anyway, as usual, I would first like to thank my LknowsAll10 and viridet for their constant support (I love you guys) and also** **TheCISL23 for joining the progression of this story. I'm glad that you enjoyed my story so much and hope you'll stick with me till the end.  
**

 **Now, for the good part!**

* * *

The sounded of gasping laughter quietly echoed in the dark room.

"How dare he… HOW DARE _HE_!" A voice shouted and the laughter grew louder. "SHUT UP, BASTARD! How _dare_ you laugh in this situation? If only I could somehow find out who _L_ is! Hey, Ryuk, TELL ME!"

"Now, now. You should calm down. I already told you that I'm not on anyone's side." Ryuk answered. His wide mouth stretched into a permanently grotesque grin. He picked up an apple from a basket that was kept on the table next to him.

"Weren't you on the first Kira's side?" The voice spat.

"Only when he bargained with apples, like you do." Ryuk said, gobbling up the mentioned fruit. "In the end, I wrote down his name in the notebook, just like I told him I would."

"…What was his name?"

"Can't tell you that… Mikami Teru."

* * *

Ryuzaki bit down on his fingernail. So far, he knew that Kira was part of Kanto, he was rather stupid, and had an ego. He was slightly different to the first Kira, but they're justification for murder was the same. He was sitting in the lounge, Yagami and the members he had gathered for the task force present as well.

"Ryuzaki, the Interpol have recently discussed on sending FBI agents to investigate the Kira case." Watari said.

"Let them go through with. Do pass on to them one piece of advice however; none of the FBI agents must know who the others are. They should not know the amount of agents being sent here either. And make sure the agents carry a fake identification card with them. Not real ones."

"Understood. I will forward an email."

Watari left the room and Yagami turned to Ryuzaki. "This is quite a bit of precaution you're taking, Ryuzaki."

"It's necessary, I'm afraid." The pale man answered. He roved his eyes over the other members of his task force. There were only three other, going by the names of Tanaka, Utsumi and Kawahara. "It's not common knowledge, but the first Kira was known to be an increasingly intelligent man. The moment he found out about the FBI's investigation, he began to plan a way out. This lead to the death of the entire investigating team."

Tanaka looked nervous at this. "Are we going to be okay?"

"If we play our cards right. Despite how idiotic the current Kira seems to be, I would rather not underestimate him. It could cost us all our lives."

Everyone gulped at the indication of their lives, but steeled themselves promptly. Ryuzaki allowed himself to get lost in his own thoughts. This Kira didn't have much information on criminals. He simply killed those that were displayed in newspapers or news shows. He could be any civilian.

"If there is one thing we can conclude about Kira," L said as he picked up his tea cup and added three more sugars. "It's that he is a student. Which narrows our search to the schools within Kanto. We should expand our search and look for those who might not be criminals. It's possible that Kira kills those who don't have a criminal record as well."

"Doesn't that go against his code?" Kawahara, a petite but sharp-eyed man asked.

"We are referring to a murderer. His only code is his own flawed idea of justice." L murmured. It was soft, but everybody in the room heard it. "The reason that the police still allow news of criminals to be displayed on public modes of information is because Kira – out of rage – may begin killing innocents in an attempt to show his superiority. We are dealing with a very juvenile person. Don't leave any stone unturned."

The task force immediately answered in affirmatives and Ryuzaki went back to look at the record of the past few Kira victims. He would not get away no matter what.

* * *

Light walked out of the school gates alone. Ryuzaki had been absent for two days and the teachers would not give him the boys address no matter what. It was a common rule to not give out any information about another student, but it felt like there was more to it. In the end, Light gave up and decided to go home.

"Come on, just one drink? We'll buy."

Light turned his head and saw two men towering over a young girl. No matter what the era, pigs like these always existed. They moved slightly, and Light caught a glimpse of the girls face. She was cute, with long brown hair and large eyes, but what stood out most was how she looked at the men in front of her. She didn't look scared.

"You should stop." She told them. "I already said that I don't want to go; if you force me any further, I could sue you for harassment."

Light suddenly remembered who she was. She was a first year student and her father was a very well-known police officer in Kanto. He pursed his lips as he heard the two men snort.

"Sue us for harassment! That's cute. Look here, we ain't trying to harass you. We're just feeling lonely – us two grown men having drinks together, so we thought we'd invite you. It'll be fun."

"I'm fine, thank you." She said as she stepped around one of them and made to move out of the way. The other man immediately caught hold of her wrist and pulled her. She made an effort to free her herself, in vain.

Light felt anger rise within him and immediately pulled out his cell phone. "Hey, you two. Let go of her right now."

Said men directed their attention towards Light and glared at him. Before they could make any comments, Light walked towards them and held his mobile out threateningly.

"If you're from around here, I presume you would know a thing or two about police. Especially someone named Yagami Taiga who just happens to be the father of that girl. If you don't let her go _now_ , I'll just give him a call. Let's see how _fun_ he finds it, when he hears about how you were messing around with his daughter."

They definitely looked scared now.

"Hey, isn't Yagami Taiga that guy who won an award for something?" One whispered in that uselessly loud way of whispering to his companion.

"I don't know, is he that amazing?" He looked down at the girl and let go of her. "Crap. I'm getting out of here."

The man immediately ran away and made himself scarce in the crowd, with his partner in crime not far behind. Light sighed once the two retreating backs had disappeared from sight.

"Are you okay?" He asked, and the girl smiled at him.

"Yes… thank you for your help."

"You're a very strong girl. Most wouldn't have handled the situation like you did."

She blushed. "I was actually really scared. That was the first time anything like that has ever happened to me, and they were so persistent… I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't stopped by, Kurogami-senpai."

"You know me?" Light asked in genuine surprise.

"Of course!" The girl giggled. "That picture in the school newspaper was hard to miss."

Light pinched the bridge his nose in embarrassment and exasperation – mostly towards an unsuspecting Takami.

"It wasn't what it looked like."

"Wasn't it?"

Light glared at her.

"I'm joking!" She laughed and held out her hand. "Yagami Sayu, first year student. I'm surprised you knew who I was at all."

Light honey brown eyes widened and he smiled widely at the girl in front of him. That name was such a coincidence and it took up such a warm place in his heart. He clasped her hand and shook it firmly. "Sayu-chan, is it? I'm afraid I didn't know you're first name. It's lovely."

"You didn't know _my_ name but you knew my father's?" Sayu smiled wryly. "Weird."

"I'm a little bit of a fan." He admitted shyly.

"A _fan_? Of _his_?Are you planning on a career in the police force or something?"

"Hit it right on the nose." Light nodded and then looked around. "Do you live somewhere nearby? I'll walk you home."

Sayu immediately put up her hands in disagreement. "Oh no, I couldn't!"

"I insist. I couldn't let you walk home alone after witnessing such a thing. It wouldn't be any trouble, there's nothing much I need to do today anyway."

Sayu's shoulders relaxed and she exhaled in defeat. "Then, I'll be in you care. Thank you."

Light felt the urge to pat her head, and didn't restrain himself from doing just that. It didn't matter though, because Sayu didn't seem to mind at all given her comfortable grin.

* * *

"You live here?" Light asked, a little in awe at the large house. They didn't live very far from each other, either. His house was only a ten minute walk from there.

"Yeah. It's the generation of detectives after all. We used to live in a much smaller house before but he got promoted last year. We moved in here a few weeks ago." She explained and walked over to her gate. Her attention turned towards a brightly lit room on the first floor. "Huh? Is dad home already? That's never happened before."

She unlatched the gate and stepped into her house, but stopped mid-way. "Would you like to come in?"

Light stiffened. "Uh…"

"Oh please, Kurogami-senpai. Don't get me wrong. I don't think of you in any sort of romantic sense. Even though I do think you're handsome, so it's a shame. You said you were a fan, so I thought that maybe you'd like to meet my dad."

The brunet relaxed. "That's very kind of you, but don't you think he'd be a little on guard? Or do you normally allow strange guys to meet your father?"

"No… I don't normally do this at all. If it had been somebody else, I wouldn't have bothered. But somehow, you don't feel like a stranger at all, senpai." Sayu said, looking perplexed herself as she said it, as if she couldn't figure out what was going on either. She probably didn't.

And he knew exactly what she meant. The moment he saw her, cornered like that in front of those two men, he felt protective. The moment he talked to her, he felt like he'd done it before a million times. He never touched girls; they always got the wrong idea, but somehow, he knew that _she_ wouldn't and stroked her head calmly. Yet he was also sure that he'd never given her a second glance before that day.

Before Light could answer her though, the door to her house had opened.

"Sayu, is that you? What are you doing outside? Come in." Came the voice of who Light figured was Yagami Taiga.

"Oh, Daddy. I was just talking to a friend. He's a big fan of yours and I was just inviting him inside for a cup of tea before he left." Sayu answered. "You will come in, right? You already told me that you have nothing better to do."

Light's gaped at her. This was practically blackmail – doing all of this in front of a man that Light admired.

"A fan? What are you talking about?" Yagami asked, and Light could here footsteps. Soon a large, masculine man appeared next to Sayu and stared down at Light. He wore a button down shirt and creased trousers, which made him look as respectable as he was.

"Uh, m-my name is Kurogami Light!" Light blurted out louder that he expected and bowed deeply. "I truly respect all the work that you have done so far for Japan's safety, and I'm working towards becoming a detective as well. It's an honour."

He remained with his face parallel to the ground for a few painfully silent seconds before he heard a kind laugh come from above. He raised his head and saw Yagami beam at him.

"It's very reassuring that youth like you still exist. It's an honour to meet you as well." Yagami stretched out a hand just like his daughter had done to him not more than a half hour ago.

Light smiled in relief, and reached out his own hand. Yagami took his hand and shook it firmly.

The brunet froze as an onslaught of images arrested him.

" _Light, I still have the shinigami's eyes." It was Yagami speaking. He looked a little older and was in a hospital bed, wires hooked onto him from everywhere. It was dark and grim in the room. "According to Ryuk, you can't see the lifespan of someone who possesses a notebook."_

 _His eyes were tired, and glowed a strange crimson. "Light, you're not Kira." He said and his eyes gathered tears at their corners. "I'm… so relieved."_

Light gasped and pulled his hand away from Yagami. The older man looked at him strangely. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I – I just realized there was something my mother asked me to do before I came back." He said and pulled his school bag closer to his body, for some kind of protection – from what, he didn't know. "I should head back quickly. It had been nice meeting you, Yagami-san. I do hope that we can talk some other time."

"Kurogami-senpai?" Sayu looked worried. Light didn't know what face he was making, but it probably wasn't very pleasant.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Sayu-chan." Light smiled tightly before walking away quickly. He heard Sayu calling his name from behind, but didn't look back.

Once he was out of sight he ran back home as quickly as possible. His house came into sight and he didn't bother with manners when he walked briskly into his house and rushed upstairs into his room, ignoring the worried calls of his mother, who realized he had arrived.

He all but collapsed on the ground and tried to slow down his breathing. He was on the verge of hyperventilating. Pulling out his mobile, his fingers shook as he dialled the number he had never thought of using before then.

It rang. Once, twice, thrice… and then someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Help me… Ryuzaki."

* * *

 **Yes *laughs* evil little me, stopping the chappie with a cliffie... Is that too many "ie's"?  
Can't you just _smell_ plot development in the air? *Breathes deeply* I know I can. The detective stuff ain't going to be too long, cause it just takes up _so_ much brain power. So many things to consider when setting up somebody to be arrested. **

**Still, the story has a way to go until we can spot the finish line, so let's all be a little more patient.**

 **Always appreciative of reviews,  
Hina~~**


	11. Chapter 11

**What? Back with a new chapter so quickly? Please to say, yes! I got into the zone and wrote this one _so_ fast. Granted it's shorter than the last, but meh. Anyway, I keep wondering myself where exactly this story is headed, and I hope it's somewhere good. **

**LknowAll10 - Omg, I was wondering what your name was about and when you explained it, I just laughed so much, because, HOW FLATTERING! So glad you like my writing.**

 **viridet - This chapter's your answer!**

 **Bon appetit everyone!**

* * *

"Oi, Mikami Teru. What's wrong?" Ryuk asked, as he floated about the room.

"Stop calling me that! My name isn't Mikami Teru. It's Manami Tetsu!" He said, banging his arm on his table.

"It used to be Mikami." Ryuk complained.

"I would know if you didn't withhold my memories." Tetsu growled.

"That wouldn't be fun." The Shinigami laughed. "If I did that, then you could easily kill L. Humour me for a while."

Tetsu threw a coffee mug at Ryuk it flew right through him, crashing against the wall and collecting into many pieces on the floor. Tetsu glared at Ryuk and bit his lip in frustration. "Fuck you!"

"Well, if there's one thing you have in common with the first Kira, it's that bad attitude." Ryuk snickered in gasps. "I wonder how long you'll be able to entertain me."

* * *

The Kurogami household was in chaos when he arrived. Ryuzaki had rushed over to Light's house the moment he received the phone call and was greeted by the sight of his mother who was worried sick and her son who was sweating buckets in a collapsed pile on the floor.

The seasoned detective had enough time to figure out what could have happened and had Watari help him take Light into the car despite the situation. He then gently assured Sachiko that her son would be fine and that he would bring him back home once everything was sorted out. To her credit, she didn't ask many questions and decided to trust him.

Which lead them to where Ryuzaki was sitting beside Light who was peacefully resting in the large bed that he barely ever used.

Watari came in pushing a trolley that carried silver plates piled with sweets. Ryuzaki rubbed his feet together and snuck another glance at Light who had calmed down significantly before taking a cupcake from one of the plates.

"He hasn't woken up yet, I see." Watari stated, unusually concerned.

"No," Ryuzaki answered, peeling off the paper that covered the cupcake. "He went through a panic attack and hyperventilated according to the physician that you brought in – although I could diagnose that for myself. He'll wake up any moment, and I don't want to be somewhere else when he does. It could stop him from telling me what exactly happened."

"It's almost 7:00 am. You've been awake all night." Watari protested lightly.

"As I have every other night. One more hardly makes a difference." He bit into the cupcake and chewed. "When is the task force due?"

"They'll be arriving at nine o' clock."

"Perfect. I think it's about time I tell Light-kun who I really am."

Watari didn't say anything. He didn't give an opinion or a comment. He never refused L before, and he wouldn't do it now, because, that was the oath he had given to Ryuzaki. He would serve him until L became the symbol of justice. Until it was the only letter from the alphabets that stood out from the rest, because it was what maintained balance.

"I will inform you once the task force has gathered."

With that Watari stepped out of the room.

* * *

It was almost eight-thirty when Light had finally opened his eyes. The first thing that greeted him was the face of his best friend, stuffing his face with cupcakes.

"Oh, Light-kun. How are you feeling?" He asked, in between bites. It was obvious that Ryuzaki had never been in a school before. They would usually reprimand those kinds of manners, but honestly, Light never cared. He still doesn't.

The brunet sat up and touched his head. "A little dizzy." He answered, taking a look around the room. "Where are we?"

"My place. You didn't say much on the phone last night. Just fainted. When I arrived, Sachiko-san told me that the door was locked. Watari opened it." Ryuzaki paused and looked at him searchingly. "What happened last night?"

Light's heart almost stopped as he remembered the vision he had the previous day and hesitated, before pulling on a smile.

"No, it wasn't anything. I think I was just tired."

Ryuzaki's eyes lingered on him before they turned to the ceiling. "Light-kun, normally, you're lies are almost amusing and even believable, so I let them go. This one was neither. I know something happened. I can make out your lies, just as well as you can make out mine. But if you tell me the truth now, we won't have to pretend anymore. You won't have to… and I won't either."

Light felt a feeling akin to shame engulf him. Ryuzaki was saving him the embarrassment by looking away. He always did that. He always knew _when_ to do that. Light ground his teeth together and knew there was no escaping once he fell into this trap.

"Lately… no, even before I met you Ryuzaki, I saw things. Visions. I never paid much attention to them… I was always asleep when they came so I waved them off as dreams. Yesterday though, it came while I was _awake_. And what I saw could've been the worst vision of all."

"And, what was it that you saw?"

"…A man. Someone I had met just then and shook hands with. He was older in my vision, and he looked all but dead. He told me…" Light swallowed, the words dying in his throat.

Ryuzaki didn't push him. He didn't rush Light. He waited, crouching in his chair, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"He told me that I wasn't Kira and that I couldn't have been because of some… _notebook_ that I don't possess, or something. He mentioned someone named 'Ryuk' who had told him that. He said that he had the shinigami's eyes and couldn't see my lifespan…" Light said and then realized how ridiculous it all sounded. "I'm sorry. It sounds mad; just forget I said anything."

"What were the previous visions about?" Ryuzaki asked, taking the story so seriously that it suprised Light.

"…You. Mostly."

"Me?"

Light sighed and scratched his head in frustration. "Well, not _you_. Maybe you in the future? He looked older, but everything else was essentially the same. He sat in the same way, looked the same way –"

Light stopped short of what he was saying and looked at Ryuzaki, alarmed at himself. "In fact… he wears the same clothes you're wearing right now. A plain, oversized white T-shirt and loose jeans. It's just like in my dreams…"

Light clutched at his shirt in front of his chest and felt his heart beating loudly, painfully. Everything he saw was there. What did the latest vision mean? Was he really Kira? He doesn't know. He doesn't remember. But he felt a strange kinship with that word – that title. As if it _belonged_ to him. He felt it ever since it started being used again. And when he saw that vision yesterday, everything felt even more real.

And it scared him.

 _Could that also mean that Ryuzaki was really going to die?_ The moment Light asked himself this question, the world became quiet. His ears got filled with white noise and rang agonizingly in his head. He couldn't make out where he was looking but soon enough, he was tightly holding Ryuzaki by his shoulders.

"Don't leave me." Light told him. "You can't die, Ryuzaki. You can't ever die!"

"Light-kun?" Ryuzaki looked at him, his usually sleepy eyes were startled awake with surprise and a little worry.

"Why am I having these dreams? Why am _I_ seeing these things? Why did Chief Yagami even _slightly_ suspect me of being Kira? There are so many questions I have, Ryuzaki." Light admitted in helplessness. He looked down at his lap, his hands still resting on Ryuzaki's shoulders. Drops fell from his face and stained the pure white sheets that covered him from the waist below. He realized he was crying. "I saw you die in one of my dreams. It was just a few days before I met you."

"You… saw me? Before we even met?"

Light didn't answer the question. He only pulled Ryuzaki towards him into a tight embrace. Only once the other boy was safely in his arms and his clean, musky smell invaded Light's nose, could he calm down.

"I won't allow you to leave me. I'd follow right after you." He mumbled in Ryuzaki's black locks.

Ryuzaki was stiff in his arms for many seconds, but relaxed eventually. He awkwardly put his arms around Light's waist and they stayed like that for a while. Light even thought that it might've been longer had Watari not knocked on the door just moments later.

"Ryuzaki, they've arrived." He said from the other side of the door.

Said boy lifted himself from the comfortable state he was in.

"Do you have some visitors?" Light asked. "Come to think of it, I haven't even met your parents yet. I must've inconvenienced you guys a lot."

"No, you met one of them." Ryuzaki told him as he stood up. Light swung his own legs off the bed and prepared to get up. "Watari is my adopted father."

Light blinked. "What? Didn't you say that he was an employee?"

Ryuzaki looked at Light blankly. "…It's complicated."

With that, Light realized that it might've been too much trouble to explain the situation. The brunet smiled in amusement, despite the situation.

"Let's go." Ryuzaki said and headed towards the door.

"Huh? Me too?"

Ryuzaki looked over his shoulders and his eyes conveyed something meaningful. "I promised you that I wouldn't lie."

That was all the explanation Light got before Ryuzaki walked out of the room. The brunet immediately got off the bed and checked his clothes once. They were Ryuzaki's, no doubt, and since his clothes were all oversized anyway, they fit Light without any trouble. In fact, they were somewhat loose on _him_ as well.

Light followed Ryuzaki into a room that looked uncannily like the one from his dreams. Large, clean, filled with technology and computer monitors, and a coffee table surrounded by sofa's in the corner. But over there, four men sat, obviously awaiting Ryuzaki's arrival, but not expecting Light's.

"Ryuzaki!" One of them gasped. "Who…?"

Light examined the faces he saw and his jaw almost fell at the last person he laid eyes on.

"Chief Yagami!"

The chief looked at him in surprise. He stood up. "You… we met yesterday, didn't we? Kurogami-kun, was it?"

"Yes." Light smiled. "I'm very sorry for my rude departure."

"No, that's alright." Yagami smiled. "I'm sure whatever you had to do was important. Still… I had no idea that you – _knew_ – Ryuzaki."

Light couldn't help but give him a strange look. "We're friends from school."

Yagami regarded Light with suspicion before turning to his classmates. "Ryuzaki… does he know?"

"Oh, no. I haven't gotten the chance to explain it yet."

Light didn't follow what they were talking about, but he could figure out enough to believe that this included some of the truth telling that Ryuzaki has yet to do.

"That reminds me… how do _you_ know Ryuzaki?" As he asked this question, he could feel, Yagami as well as the three men behind him tense up. They were saved from having to answer by the man himself.

"They work with me." Ryuzaki replied.

"Work with you? Ryuzaki, what do you–"

"I am L."

Light's voice died in his throat. The only thing he managed to say after that was one weak word.

"What?"

* * *

 **Yeah... another cliffer. They get kind of addicting as an author. Next chapter is not far behind though, so keep your eyes peeled, everyone!**

 **Please do review on this chapter, because I have no idea how well it turned out. I've never been in a romantic situation (literally nothing), so whatever knowledge I have on romance is everything I've gathered from novels, movies and manga. I read and reread this, but I could honestly not find anything to change.  
**

 **There'll be a little more of plot build up till we get to the Kira capture part, but trust me when I say that my story isn't ending there!**

 **xoxox Hina**


	12. Chapter 12

**Alright, here's the promised chapter! Now, fair warning, when I right a story - romance and mystery may it be, I like to write about _people_ as a whole. Not just the characters that the summary focuses on. Which is what'll probably make this fanfiction longer than it should be. Prepare for backstories!**

 **And enjoy!**

* * *

" _I am L."_

His brain tried to process the words the Ryuzaki had just said, and so did his heart. He thought back to all the times that he and Ryuzaki had talked about L. About his mystery, about his methods, about his intelligence… and he also remembered all the times that Ryuzaki's voice would take on an amused tone to every question Light answered about L.

"Ryuzaki!" One of the men got up from his seat. "What is the meaning of this? Why are you casually revealing your identity to a child?"

"Calm down, Utsumi-san. We're the same age. Moreover, I trust Light-kun." Ryuzaki said, crouching backwards on one of the office chairs and resting his chin on the backrest.

The word 'trust' turned over in Light's head. Ryuzaki trusted him? For some reason, that didn't feel right. Ryuzaki shouldn't trust him. But why? Why did Light feel this way? Why did it feel so _wrong_ that Ryuzaki trusted him? He'd never trusted Light before.

 _Before?_

"Ryuzaki. You promised you wouldn't lie to me." Light stated coldly.

Ryuzaki looked up at him, surprised, but then calmed down almost instantaneously. "Forgive me Light-kun. What I meant was: I trust that you don't want to kill me."

Light stared impartially at his friend. Ryuzaki's co-workers looked back and forth between them.

"You're L?" The brunet asked, to reconfirm. When Ryuzaki nodded he walked over to the pale boy, and squatted so that he could look at him properly, in the eyes. "Tell me, do you know anything about the second L?"

Ryuzaki thought seriously, thumb pressed to his lips. "Yagami Light. You're grandmother's older brother. You were named after him I suppose."

Light heard one of the other men – not Utsumi-san – gasp. "He's a descendant of the second L?"

"Yes." Light answered.

"What do you want to know?"

"...I heard that Yagami Light was a very intelligent person. My grandmother told me that he was as intelligent as the first L. Yet, why was it, that for _six_ years he couldn't catch Kira? Near managed to do it right after his term began. It doesn't make sense to me."

"Yes. The full story wasn't revealed to either your grandmother or even her mother. And I don't think that you're ready to hear it either, Light-kun." Ryuzaki confessed. "But, if you join me in the Kira investigation, and if you promise to do your part here, _I_ promise that you'll eventually find out anyway."

Light blinked twice. Then he burst out laughing. "I see. That's what you were planning. Alright then, I'll help you."

"Yes, alright. This is great and all, but – Light-kun, yes? – what can you contribute to this investigation?" It was the man who had remained quiet this whole time.

"Please, Tanaka. I'm sure Ryuzaki had something in mind when he decided this." Yagami admonished.

"Thank you, Yagami-san. I wouldn't have recruited Light-kun for no reason. His deductive skills are quite impressive." Ryuzaki gave a rather rare smile. It was the kind that looked a little smug. "Light-kun, let us know what you think of the Kira case so far."

The brunet considered it, and gave a truthful answer.

"Honestly, when you had first revealed the possibility of Kira being in Kanto, you already let the world know what his secrets were. I also think, Ryuzaki that you know the means by which he kills. If we are talking about the latest events, then right now; Kira is testing the ways in which he can kill people."

As if reading his mind, Ryuzaki pulled up pictures on the computer monitors, showing the deaths of the recent criminals.

"You're talking about these people?"

"Yes. Nothing much was revealed on T.V. but they _had_ mentioned that the victims displayed strange behaviour before death. I believe… Kira can not only kill without being there in person, but that he can also control their actions leading up to death." Light revealed. "Not only that… I think that he's even challenging you, Ryuzaki. To be frank, he has the mind-set of an angsty teenager. He probably is."

Ryuzaki nodded, smiling again. "As expected of Light-kun. Without much information at your disposal, you were able to come up with almost the same deduction as I. Now, any other questions that any of you may have for Light-kun before his addition to our group?"

Yagami hesitated before stepping forward. "It's not really a question, but Light-kun, could you please keep this a secret from Sayu? She has no idea that I'm involved in such a high scale crime."

Light hesitated. "If you're adamant on having it remain that way, sir. But don't you think that she deserves to know the truth? Sayu-chan is –"

"Yes, I know!" Yagami interrupted. He was obviously pained by the decision. "I know… but we only have each other. I couldn't burden her with this kind of thing."

"…I understand. I won't say anything." Light agreed eventually.

Yagami smiled tiredly at him, and Light thought back to that vision. The way that he called Light's name so affectionately. What could it have meant? Why did Light feel so bad, looking at him? If he didn't know any better, then what he felt might've been guilt. But he couldn't think of any reason to be guilty.

Ryuzaki bit his thumb and stared as everyone introduced themselves to Light.

* * *

As Yagami Taiga drove home later that evening, he thought about Ryuzaki, Kurogami Light and Sayu. His mind couldn't decide which one to give priority to. He worried about Ryuzaki's decisions, he worried about Light's actions and even Sayu's impression if she ever found out that he was working on such a risky case.

She would cry. He knew she would. She was always a cry-baby. She cried when the boys from her class bullied her, when she got the smallest of grazes on her knee or if someone raised their voice at her even slightly. But Taiga remembered that she always got over things very quickly, and became stronger. So when her mother left, it shocked him when she didn't cry.

Then, one night, Taiga passed by her bedroom at night when he wanted to get a glass of water. The door was cracked open slightly, and he could hear sobs from inside. He couldn't see her through the crack the door made, and he did risk widening it either. He just stood outside, listening to the bitter cries of his daughter as she asked again and again to thin air; "What did I do wrong, mom…?"

Sayu never cried again. More accurately, she never did where he might find out; maybe she didn't. He knew though, that deep down, she still had that sensitive little girl in her.

His hand tightened on the steering wheel as he drove through a narrower, uphill road. As the scenery passed by, he noticed a familiar figure walking over the pathway carrying heavy grocery bags in tired determination. He pulled his car over immediately and lowered the window glass.

"Sachiko?" He called, sticking his head out of the car slightly.

The woman turned around at the sound of hr name. Her face broke out into a large grin. "Taiga!"

She walked towards the car. "What a coincidence! How long has it been?"

"Since you got married I believe." He smiled, afraid that it might've come out a bit sad. "How is Harada?"

"Like you care." She joked. "You hated him."

"And for good reason! He was always such a backstabber." Taiga chuckled. "But I suppose we can't judge a person for what they were twenty years ago. What's he doing now?"

"I wouldn't know." Sachiko conceded. "We got divorced years ago."

Taiga gawped at her. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know. In fact, I didn't even know you were living in Tokyo. I thought you were still in Chiba."

"I moved here after my divorce. I admit it was rough for quite a while, but my son just made everything worth it. This is all for him." She explained gesturing the grocery bags. "He's not been feeling well since yesterday. His friend took care of him for a while, but it's my term now."

"He's got a good friend."

"Yes, I think so too." She giggled.

Taiga looked at her in hesitation, but spoke. "Why don't I drive you back?"

Sachiko gave in to surprise but smiled gratefully. "Thank you, I would appreciate that."

Taiga waited for her to enter the car. She sat in the passenger seat next to him, and he looked at her. She hardly changed from their high school days, only looking much more mature. But she had always been mature; never one to get into a useless argument, or to hold a grudge. She saw the good in everybody and forgave them for them misdoings.

It was what he had loved so much about her. And from what he could see now, she hasn't changed. It transported him back to when he was nothing but a high school delinquent. When he couldn't sit in a classroom and diligently take notes to save his life. He kept getting into fights and more than once, visited a local police station. He hated the law back then. It was fair to say that the only thing Taiga loved at the time was Sachiko.

It makes him remember how much has changed since those days. How much he had changed. How much she had. He had his daughter to take care of; she had her son. He was a police officer and she got married to the biggest bastard in the world. Their lives ended up in a way that nobody would have thought they would – not even them.

"What's your son like?" He asked, pressing down on the accelerator and driving forward.

"He's brilliant! Smart and handsome; the neighbour moms are so jealous." She laughed mischievously. "He always gets the highest grades in school. Oh! And he's intent on becoming a detective. In fact, I once told him about you, and imagine my surprise when he told me everything about you! I had no idea that you'd become such a marvellous policeman. I bet that he'd love to meet you. And what about your daughter?"

Taiga smiled thinking of Sayu. "I actually named her after your mother. Sayu oba-san was a big influence on me. Her stories about her father and her brother would always lift up my spirits. I'd say that naming her that has paid off. She's a lot like Sayu oba-san. She eats too many sweets with disregard to her health and she's a magnet to handsome young men."

Sachiko laughed. "Oh my, you've got quite a piece of work on you. She sounds wonderful."

"She is. I'll introduce you one day. I'd love to meet your son as well…" As Taiga said it, his mind went back to Light. "Sachiko, did you revert back to your maiden name?"

"Hm? Yes, why?"

"By any chance, does your son go by the name of Kurogami Light?"

He obviously startled Sachiko. "Goodness! Was it obvious that we were going to name him after my uncle? It was my mother's idea."

"No…" He muttered, looking at her from the corner of her eyes. She didn't know that her son was part of the Kira investigation. "Is he home?"

"Yes, he is. What's wrong?"

"I'd like to have a word with him."

He couldn't believe it took him this long to connect the dots.

* * *

 **And cut! Taiga (a.k.a. Souichirou) is going to talk to Light in the next chapter. Now, where am I planning for this story to go, you wonder...? fufufu, I wonder myself sometimes, but I know it's somewhere good! It's going to be a long journey...**

 **Regards,  
Hina~~~**


	13. Chapter 13

**It's been a while, I guess? I've been busy with college exams and my other story, Dekito (Naruto fandom), so this story lagged a bit. Anyway, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

Light stared at the apple in his hand. He never understood why he kept picking one up only to toss it over his shoulder. He squeezed the fruit and before he ended up throwing it again, put in down in the fruit bowl. Then he went into his room and switched on his T.V. right to the news. And that was another thing he didn't understand. He hated watching the news. It was so full of crime and misery, but whenever he was in his house, it was the first he'd do. Take record of all the criminals.

"Light! I'm home, and I have a guest over!" Light heard his mother call from downstairs. He switched off the T.V. with a sensation that made him feel like he was doing something he shouldn't be doing in front of others.

"A guest?" He pondered out loud.

There were footsteps, and the door to his room was thrown open, revealing his mother's beaming face… and inspector Yagami Taiga right behind her.

"Yagami-san?!" He exclaimed and stood up from his bed.

"That's right!" His mother exclaimed. "I told you he was my classmate way back when, but you always scoffed. I met him on my way home and he said he'd give a ride."

"I-Is that so?" Light's eyes darted between the two adults. It was clear by the look on Yagami-san's face that he wasn't here for a friendly chat. "Mom, could you let me talk to him alone for a bit…?"

"I thought you'd say that." She sighed with an exasperated smile. "Alright, I'll leave you two alone. Taiga, will you stay for dinner?"

"Oh, no Sachiko. Don't trouble yourself. Sayu is waiting for me at home, so I can't."

For a split second, it looked like his mother was almost disappointed, but her face lit up again as she thought of something.

"Okay. You boys have fun!" She laughed before leaving. Light was a little surprised. He'd never seen her so happy before. She was always smiling, but she never looked so… cheerful.

Yagami-san sighed. "All these years and she still treats me like I'm an immature teenager." He chuckled.

Light raised an eyebrow. There was something strange going on between those two, and he could feel it.

"What did you want to talk about, Yagami-san?" Light asked, getting straight to the point. Taiga looked at him in amazement.

"You really are very observant, Light."

It didn't escape the teens notice that the older man had dropped all honorifics, but it felt more natural this way.

"I felt it was alright for you to help with the Kira investigation while you were in the headquarters, but that was before I knew you were Sachiko's son." Yagami said, and pulled over a nearby chair to seat himself. "She's lost far too many people, Light. For her sake, please drop this idea."

Light wanted to rebuke, but when he thought about how his mother would cry when she heard of this, he couldn't. "I love my mother, sir. We've been through a lot together, and we didn't have anyone else. But since I was old enough to think for myself, I couldn't help but feel like something was _missing_. All the adults around me pitied me and told my mother that I probably wanted a father in my life, but it wasn't that. And yet, mom was so sure it was and tried her best to make me feel like I never needed anyone else."

Yagami listened to him patiently.

"It was something else. Then one day, I came across a book. It was the record of the war between Kira and L. In the last few pages, there was the picture of a man that look just like me. When I showed it to mom, she giggled and said it was her uncle. I didn't feel proud, knowing that he was the second L. I felt vexed. The first L and Near played big roles in capturing Kira. What did Yagami Light do?! He was just _there_!"

"And why does this matter?"

"…I just can't believe that a man with an IQ of over 200 points could've been so useless in that investigation. He was smarter than Near, who had an IQ of only 195. I never figured out why I felt like something in my life was missing, but when I found out about Yagami Light, a piece of me came back.  
That's why… I _need_ to be in this investigation. I _know_ that it's related to me somehow. And don't worry, I have no intention of being a dead weight. No matter what kind of ugly story of my family's past it may reveal, I will wholeheartedly take part in finding Kira, and of course, stopping him."

Yagami sighed and leaned back into the chair. "I'm not anyone to you, Light. I can't influence your decisions. But I can't see Sachiko sad, so you will have to deal with a lot of my meddling from now on."

"Strangely, I'm not too opposed to the idea." Light smiled. "Please do come over more often, sir. This is the first time I've seen mother so happy in a while."

"Really?" He glance to the door, where Sachiko had been last. "Next time, I'd like to invite you both to my house, though."

"We'd both be glad to go."

From there, Light remembered the rest of their conversation being short and light-hearted until Yagami decided to leave.

* * *

"Crime rate has severely dropped." Utsumi said, skimming through the recent reports before dropping them onto the table.

"Under any other situation, I would've said that this was a good thing." Chief Yagami said glumly. "The fact that this is all due to another murderer puts quite a wet cloth on all of the efforts the law has taken thus far."

Silence passed between the inhabitants of the room.

"That reminds me; when is Light-kun scheduled to join our investigation?" Kawahara asked, as he separated the cases dealing with those who died in jail and those who didn't.

Ryuzaki, who had been quietly eating cake the entire time, looked up and answered. "Light-kun's mother works very hard to send him to school, so he prefers not to miss a single class, even if his abilities are far beyond that of simple algebra. He will join us this weekend."

"What about you, Ryuzaki?" Kawahara asked. "I thought you enjoyed school."

"Indeed." Ryuzaki answered, through a mouthful of cake. "I will attend once in a while. For now, however, my main priority is the capture of Kira."

Tanaka, who was looking through the deaths of the previous victims in order, looked up.

"By the way, have we told Light-kun about the death note?" He asked, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Another silence passed, but was more accusing rather than tense.

"Another time." Was Ryuzaki's answer.

"Ryuzaki… You have to do it sooner or later. You're the one who invited him into the investigation." Yagami said, disapprovingly.

Ryuzaki gave a brief pause. "Another time." He repeated.

* * *

 **Uh-Oh, L doesn't seem to want Light to know about the death note. But then how can Light help in the investigation? Look forward to the next chapter to see what happens!**

 **Hina~**


	14. Chapter 14

**Been a while. I'm uploading both my stories quite slowly, but that's my life.**

 **Thank you, LKnowsAll10 for your lovely words as always. I hope that you as well as everyone else enjoys this chapter.**

 **There's also some *ahem* _progress_ , if you know what I mean.**

* * *

"Light!" Misa exclaimed as she popped her head into her beloved's classroom. She raked her eyes over every head that turned to look at her – which was every head in the room, none of which belonged to Kurogami Light.

"Misa-Misa." A boy came over looking deliriously happy at being given the chance to talk to her. "Kurogami went home."

Misa opened her mouth. "Oh." She said, not being able to say anything else. Her lips trembled and she swallowed, feeling her stomach churn even as she asked the question. "Did he go home along with… someone?"

The boy looked at her in confusion. That specific look they give you when they think you should know something, but you don't. "Yeah… he went home with Ryuzaki. I mean… they always do."

Misa pursed her lips and exhaled the air in her lungs. "Thank you. Can you let Light know that tomorrow is my turn?"

She turned on her heel and walked away from the classroom, down the hall.

Ryuzaki. Of course.

Friends? She was starting to see some shit covering the truth.

* * *

"Are you sure this is all the information we've got on Kira?" Light asked Ryuzaki once everyone had gone home. Ryuzaki was chewing on his thumb and only paused to answer.

"Yes."

"Well, it isn't much to go by." Light sighed, absolutely exhausted. Kira had already started killing people with trivial crimes like shoplifting, molesting and extortion. He was running out of options with more severe criminals, and apparently had a quota of exactly one hundred criminals to kill from around the world, a day.

Light glanced at Ryuzaki who was still chewing on his thumb. His was so pale and his lips were the only part of his skin that received any colour at all. As always, his eyes were surrounded by dark circles. His large, black eyes that always looked at something like they were solving a puzzle. Like it was something he _had_ to solve.

The brunet coughed and leaned back into his chair. "What should we do now?"

" _You_ , Light-kun, will be going home. I'm sure your mother is worried."

Light laughed. "Ryuzaki, I can't just _go_ home." He said. "We are _nowhere near_ solving the case and–"

"I think I should let you off this case, Light-kun."

Light shut his mouth, smile fading away. "Let me off? I've been on this case for only a week. You've had a rope around my neck since you told me that you were L."

"Best to cut you loose before the rope strangles you, then."

Light's nostrils flared, and he stood up, letting the advantage in height be one of the points to let Ryuzaki feel small. Or to let him feel bigger.

"What is going on?" He demanded.

"You will have to specify."

Light licked his lips and then paced in front of his 'friend'.

"You ask me to be on this case with you, then you hardly let me be on the case at all. Now you want to fire me. That can only mean one thing; you haven't told me the whole story." Light's voice dropped a few octaves with the last few lines. He stood in front of Ryuzaki and then supported himself by resting his hands on the arms of the raven-haired boy's chair. "What aren't you telling me?"

He stared into Ryuzaki's deep black eyes. Those brilliant eyes. Then he watched at the boy parted his lips, hesitating for a moment before whispering. "Nothing."

Light felt his lips press into a thin line, then he threw all the things on the table behind Ryuzaki on the floor, with one sweep of his arm.

"THAT IS _BULLSHIT_ AND YOU KNOW IT!" He shouted.

Ryuzaki's eyes were wide, but his expression was no less firm. Nor was his resolve. And Light knew that his resolve was nothing to underestimate. He knew it the day he met Ryuzaki, he knew it before he'd met Ryuzaki. He _knew_ Ryuzaki. The Ryuzaki who became friends with him. The Ryuzaki who awkwardly put his arms around him in the most comfortable gesture he could think of. The Ryuzaki who was L. The Ryuzaki in front of him.

Light panted, his face heating, not being able to suppress himself any longer. Not his insecurities, not his anger and not his desire. Before Ryuzaki could say anything else, Light crushed their lips together in a savage kiss. He felt the detective freeze under him as he pressed in closer. Trying for all he was worth to fuse with this person in front of him. To never be apart from him, but to be apart _of_ him.

Light moved his lips over Ryuzaki's, feeling neither defiance, nor participation. Just compliance.

But that was enough for now, Light thought as he pressed kisses over Ryuzaki's jawline and moved down to bite his neck. Ryuzaki gasped and then put a hand on Light's shoulder. Whether it was meant to shove him away or to pull him closer, Light would never know. He doubted that Ryuzaki himself did.

 _But it's enough,_ He told himself. Because he knew one thing for sure right now. He no longer thought of Ryuzaki as his friend.

You could never be just friends with someone you're in love with.

* * *

Misa spent most of the day after school, completely wasting her time, rolling on her bed. For some reason, the image of Light pressing his lips against Ryuzaki's mouth would not get out of her head. No. It was not for 'some reason'. There was something there between them, and she knew it. The way Light looked at Ryuzaki was bad enough. He'd never looked at Misa that way. Still, she'd dismissed it as paranoia on her part.

She could no longer dismiss this bad feeling she had. She could not dismiss his dazed face every time he caught Ryuzaki in his line of sight. She could not dismiss the way she saw him gently caress Ryuzaki's face after she slapped the boy, and not the way Light spoke to him, either. They were all signs. And she wasn't blind. She _chose_ not to see it. Until now.

Misa got up from her bed and put on her jacket. She needed to clear her head.

A trip to her favourite pastry store ought to sort her out. As she walked through the dimly lit streets of her neighbourhood, she found herself thinking more about how she was going to devour her beloved gateau in frustration. Just this one day of guilty pleasure.

It was then that she rounded the corner and slammed right into somebody.

"Argh!" The other person exclaimed as he stumbled backwards and dropped his things. He immediately bent down to pick them up. "I'm sorry…"

Misa also bent down and helped him round up his things. "Me too. Here you go." She hand the things she'd picked up to him. The boy wore spectacles, and his black hair covered most of his face.

"Thank you." He said taking them. "You should be more careful. It's not very safe out here at this time."

"Misa appreciates your concern." She smiled professionally. "But my house is not too far away."

"If you're sure…" He nods amicably and then stands up.

Just then, the blonde noticed a black notebook near the boy's foot. "Oh, you forgot this –"

"What? Wait, don't touch that –"

But just as he said it, did Misa pick up the book.

And then, everything around her became quiet before a surge of images flooded her brain like an overwhelming 3D movie on fast forward. And no sooner had she picked it up, had she known who the person in front of her must've been, and who the creature floating behind him – grin as sinister as always – obviously was.

"Ryuk…" She beamed, getting on her feet and throwing herself at the death god she'd known in another life. "It's been too long!"

* * *

 **WUH-OH lots of things happening in this chapter. WHat in the _world_ is going to happen _next_?! **

**Stay tuned and _definitely_ review to find out ;)**

 **Love, Hina~~**


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